The Blue Mesa Trail is an overlooked gem in central Petrified Forest National Park. Because it’s off on a sideroad – plus it’s away from the main areas of the Painted Desert and the Rainbow Museum – fewer people drive…
First Forest Point in Petrified Forest
So I’m trying something new in hopes of streamlining some processes here on the blog. Some of the posts (at least for the time being) will have this new way of showing the mileages, etc. They’ll also probably have fewer…
Exploring Petrified Forest and Death Valley – With Very Few Trails!
I recently returned from an amazing trek across the country! We drove nearly 6,000 miles, hiked around 160 miles, and saw some truly amazing scenery both by foot and by van. Of course, we also slept under brilliant stars, watched…
Newspaper Rock in Petrified Forest National Park
In the middle of Petrified Forest National Park is a small viewpoint. It’s not remarkable except that it sits on the clifftop above boulders literally covered in petroglyphs and rock art. These aren’t just the normal squiggles or stick figures;…
Rock Art at the Puerco Pueblo
Petrified Forest is known for the Painted Desert and its petrified wood. However, beyond those worthy features are a few other things to see. Puerco Pueblo is the remains of an ancient civilization that once lived in the area, and…
The Route to Billings Gap Overlook
After our success on the Wilderness Loop in Petrified Forest National Park, it made sense to try out one or two of the other “official routes” in the park (they’re not really trails, but they’re also usually pretty easy to…
Official off-trail Views from the Blue Forest Route
After the Wilderness Route, the Blue Forest Route was my favorite hike in Petrified Forest National Park during my visit last fall. The good news? It’s much shorter and much, much easier to follow than the Wilderness Route. So as…
Agate Bridge – Easy to See
Agate Bridge sounds a lot more exciting than the reality in southern Petrified Forest National Park. If you’re into hiking, you’d be better off spending your time in the Crystal Forest or hiking the Blue Forest Route (or if you’d…
The Painted Desert’s Wilderness Loop
My top favorite trail I did in Petrified Forest National Park last fall was the Wilderness Route Loop through the Painted Desert. Actually, it’s not a trail at all; it’s loosely connected GPS coordinates that take you to some delightful…
Exploring the Painted Desert to Onyx Bridge
I’ve always thought of Petrified Forest National Park as a place of overlooks and quick trails – no way to get down into the Painted Desert or other areas of the park for a nice, long hike with interesting or…