The 225 million year old logs of Petrified Forest National Park, worn over time and some now wrapped in quartz, are the iconic attraction of this park in Arizona. That being said, the unique vantage point of the Painted Desert and the proximity of this national park to Route 66 make it a worthwhile destination for those visiting the Southwest.
Our family’s last official stop on our Summer 2020 RV Road Trip was Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. After spending the night at the Holbrook / Petrified Forest KOA in Holbrook, Arizona, which we would highly recommend, we woke up early to tackle the park before it got too hot. Beware that summer temperatures can be sweltering in Petrified Forest.
As our family arrived in the parking lot of the visitor center early that morning, a park ranger immediately came over to us as we were exiting our RV, saying, “Ummm, I think there is something wrong with your bikes on the back?”
Running to the back of the RV, we came across a busted bike rack, thankfully held together by an intricate rope rigging that we had executed in Dallas, and three busted bikes. It was dragging on the pavement.
After giving our three bikes the proper burial in a dumpster by the Visitor Center, Justin disassembled my bike and his, stowing them under the RV for the trip home. WHAT A MORNING!
After the escapade with our bikes, our family headed out to explore the Petrified Forest National Park. That day, we did three notable hikes – Big Logs, Blue Mesa, and the Rim Trail.
Along our drive through the park, we also enjoyed many amazing stops, the most notable of which were Pintado Point (one of the best views in the park), the Newspaper rock petroglyphs (650 petroglyphs on display), the Puerco Pueblo Ruin (native preserves), Agate Bridge (a bridge made of petrified logs), and Jasper Forest at the end (a scattered petrified forest). It was hot, but not as brutal as we had expected.
Leaving Petrified Forest National Park that afternoon, we made another stop at Meteor Crater National Landmark in Winslow, Arizona to see the site of the World’s best preserved Meteor impact site. This was an incredible landmark to behold, and our family really enjoyed learning about it in the adjacent museum.
After our visit to Meteor Crater, our family drove more of Route 66, and stopped for milkshakes at the famous “Delgadillo’s Snow Cap” in Seligman, Arizona, a Historic District notable for the Historic Route 66. Route 66 was such a fabulous historic drive for all of us!
