J and I made yet another unexpected detour on our way to the Grand Canyon after driving past a sign that read "Petrified Forest National Park." Being the science/geology/history buffs that we are, we couldn't not check it out, despite being in a bit of a rush. I'm really glad we decided to stop because this was by far my favorite part of our trip.
The boundaries of the Petrified National Forest encompass both the Painted Desert and "forests" containing thousands of pieces of petrified wood. Several of these forests also once contained large quantities of crystals but sadly, tourists and other curiosity seekers have since spirited them all away. We didn't have time to hike around the Painted Desert (and it was pretty chilly), but what we did see of the scenery was spectacular. One minute, we were gazing out over hills streaked with red and orange and pink; the next minute, we were driving through mesas and rock formations layered in otherworldly blues, greens, and lavenders. The prehistoric ruins and petroglyphs carved into the boulders thousands of years ago only heightened the perception that we were standing on an alien planet. Truly, nature at its best.
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