Monday, June 7, 2021
Petrified Forest National Park, Painted Desert, Route 66
An hour's drive northwest brought us to the south entrance of Petrified Forest National Park, off US 180. In Triassic times, this area was covered in coniferous forest. Some 200 million years ago, the forest died, fell into a river, and was buried beneath a layer of silt and volcanic ash. Over time, the wood became saturated with mineral-rich water and the minerals slowly bonded with the cells of the tree, replacing the wood with stone, or “petrifying” the wood.
Petrified Forest National Park
Not a forest anymore
The Giant Logs Trail is a .4-mile loop with some of the largest petrified logs in the park. Since this trail is right behind one of the visitor centers, it was one of the busier parts of the park.
Tom on the Giant Logs Trail
Colorful chunk of petrified wood
The Crystal Forest Trail is a .8-mile loop through rolling badlands with lots of large chunks of petrified logs. The various minerals absorbed into the wood vary from log to log, causing the different colors. The quartz crystals from the silica can be quite sparkly.
Crystal Forest
Vivid mesa
The northern portion of Petrified Forest National Park encompasses a portion of the Painted Desert, a vaguely defined area of colorful badlands which stretch throughout the Four Corners area but are most easily accessible here in the park.
Painted Desert
Jana takes a hike
Surreal scene
The best part of our visit was the Blue Mesa Trail. The trail takes you a quarter mile down a steep hill, then there's a half-mile loop, and then it's another steep quarter mile back up the hill. The paved loop wanders through a vibrant badland landscape festooned with petrified wood. It was beautiful!
Blue Mesa Overlook
Blue Mesas
Along the Blue Mesa Trail
Beautiful badlands
Petrified log hoodoo
Tom emerges from the Blue Mesa Trail
The Teepees are a group of small badland peaks distinctive for their cone-like shape and their prominence from the desert floor. Very photogenic.
The Teepees
Another vibrant badland
From 1926 to 1958, US 66 crossed through the Petrified Forest on its way from Chicago to Santa Monica. A 1932 Studebaker and a row of defunct telephone poles mark the former location of the highway. I-40 later replaced Route 66 through Arizona and now passes over the park.
Former US 66, with I-40 in the background
We stopped at several more Painted Desert overlooks, then left the park via its north exit, heading west on I-40. The colorful badlands in the north part of the park were a greater feast for the eyes than the sand-colored south, so we'd saved the best for last.
Chinde Point Overlook
Tawa Point Overlook
Another view from Tawa Point Overlook
When possible this afternoon, we left I-40 for the more interesting Route 66. US 66, established in 1926, was one of the first highways in the United States. Once a hugely popular route, by 1970 nearly all of the original US 66 was bypassed or subsumed by interstates, causing great economic decline in the towns and attractions that once lined its path.
US Route 66
The first Route 66 association was established in Seligman, Arizona, in 1987, leading to a renewed interest in this historic route. It's now a popular activity to drive any segment of the road that remains, and many towns are happy to capitalize on their vintage businesses.
Route 66 now only exists in chunks here and there, but we were able to drive sections of the road through the towns of Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, Ash Fork, and then 18 miles into Seligman, where we spent the night.
Tom standin' on a corner
Jana, my Lord, with a flatbed Ford
Lodging: Supai Motel, Seligman, Arizona, a vintage US 66 motor lodge. It was low on frills, but comfortable, with a fridge, microwave, and WiFi, so the bases were covered. The best part, though, was the classic neon sign.
Our vintage motel in Seligman
We got take-out from The Pizza Joint down the road, an 18-inch Seligman supreme - damn good, with tons left over for tomorrow. After dark, we walked down the road looking at more vintage neon. Very cool!
Cool bar and pizza place, Norwegian owned
Fun sign
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