Experiencing the Beauty of the Painted Desert & Petrified Forest in Arizona
By Meg Brunson
Well, well, well, would you look at that. Yet another National Park where the America the Beautiful Pass comes in handy (cash registers ring softly in the distance). And yes, that’s 3 breathtakingly beautiful National Parks all within the state of Arizona, for those keeping score at home. Brunsons - 3, National Parks - well, 3. Let’s face it, they’re all amazing, and we’re all winners here. Well done, everyone!
Be prepared to drive in this park. A lot. It takes roughly 45 minutes to get from one end of the park by driving to the other, and potentially more if you, like us, are towing a rig that doesn’t have the best sway control just yet so you tend to go 10 MPH slower than the posted speed limit. But ohhh, those views! You can look at pictures and paintings of the Painted Desert and know what it looks like, but to see it in person is simply awe inspiring.
** Note ** We visited the Painted Desert after we had visited the Grand Canyon and although it’s certainly not required, the “How the Grand Canyon came to be” movie that is shown does a wonderful job explaining how the Painted Desert came to be, as well. A great tie in to educate children, if you’re so inclined. And if that’s not your goal and you’re simply a sucker for all things scientific like I am, it’s still fascinating.
After driving through the eye-popping views that the Painted Desert offers you for a while, you will officially come to the Petrified Forest portion of your visit, an area literally frozen in time. This is the part of the park where you should actually get out and walk for a bit among the petrified trees. To see them up close and learn why they crack the way they do is really incredible. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the fun for you.
Learn more about the Painted Desert & Petrified Forest, and start planning your trip at https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm!
Read about some of the other adventures we're having on our Year-Long Road Trip!
© 2019 Meg Brunson
All opinions expressed are my own. See more on Instagram!
Meg is a mommy blogger, Facebook marketer, and much more. She is a mom to four kids who live full-time in an RV exploring the US! As a former Facebook employee, Meg remains a Facebook addict and handles KidsOutAndAbout.com's Social Media Marketing in addition to providing freelance services for other small businesses on how to best leverage Facebook as a part of their marketing strategy. Meg also hosts the FamilyPreneur Podcast, a podcast for parent entrepreneurs raising entrepreneurial children. Learn more about Meg at MegBrunson.com!