|
Introduction
The Petrified Forest National Park is a national park in U.S which is really unique of its kind. This USA National Park is located in eastern part of Arizona located in the Southwest region of the U.S. The forest was first designated as a national monument in the year 1906. The principal reason behind this is to preserve the reminiscence of those ancient trees that has transformed into minerals bearing vibrant colors due to some geological process. They were preserved as they had immense scientific worth. In 1962, the Petrified Forest National Park was declared as a national park. This U.S national park houses some of the finest and largest range of most colorful petrified wood. One of the most interesting attribute to the Petrified Forest National Park are the badlands of Chinle Formation hued in multicolor and this has led to a new name to the place and it is Painted Desert. There are several historical structures, archaeological sites and fossils about 225 million year old dispersed at length of the region. The park is now been recognized as the safeguard to the representation of the Late Triassic Period of the world. Every year, on an average, two new animal species are discovered in the Petrified National Park.
Visiting Petrified Forest National Park
There are numerous activities to be enjoyed while you are in the Petrified Forest National Park. It mainly depends on the span of your vacation that to what extent you can take part in the different activities offered by the park. One can go to the Painted Desert Museum. Driving through the park at length will give you the opportunity to explore its nook and corner and mesmerize you with its fascinating charm. It is worth to stop by the Kachina point, a nice place to halt for a while. One can also visit the Rainbow forest Museum or have a drive through the Blue Mesa road. A walk through the Purco pueblo trail or the Giant Logs trail or a hike in the wilderness will also be a nice thing to do. If you want to have more information on the different aspects of the Petrified Forest National Park then you can very well attend a Ranger program, it will surely be helpful.
Camping: Options for Backpack camping are available but it should be amidst the wilderness and a minimum of 1 mile is required. A free permit for visiting the backcountry can be obtained from the visitor center. They are not available in advance but should be collected at least 1 hour before the park closes. There are camping options outside the park, as one or two souvenir shop offers parking or camping if you buy some articles from them.
Guided Tours: Several guided tours of the Petrified Forest National park are there and they are all unique in their own way to develop a new insight on this interesting destination. The most important programs happen to be the Puerto pueblo Walk, Triassic Park Walk, Painted Desert Impromptu and the Crystal Forest Impromptu. Most of these programs are led by rangers and they not only give you the chance to visit fascinating spots but also provide you interesting bit of information about each of the places.
Opening Hours
The Petrified Forest National Park is open throughout the year except on Christmas on December 25. At present the timing of the park has been set to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in accordance with the Mountain Standard Time (MST).
Painted Desert Visitor Center:
Open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. MST.
Rainbow Forest Museum:
Open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. MST.
Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (a museum and bookstore):
Open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MST throughout the year
Current Schedule for the Park and the Visitor Center:
January 1–February 28, from 8am to 5pm
March 1–May 9, from 7am to 6pm
May 10–September 7, from 7am to 7pm
September 8–October 24, from 7am to 6pm
October 25–December 31, from 8am to 5pm
How to Reach
Air: The Flagstuff Pulliam Airport provides the commuter service to Los Angeles and Phoenix and the carriers are Horizon Air and US Airways respectively. The Albuquerque International Sunport is also a fully loaded airport served by most of the U.S based airlines.
Road: One can very well reach the Petrified Forest National Park by car. The park is located off the Interstate 40 lying in northeastern Arizona. It is about 106 miles east of Flagstaff and 178 miles west of Albuquerque.
Rail: Gallop in New Mexico is the nearest city to the Petrified Forest National park served by the Amtrak station. The southwest Chief – Los Angeles is the route and is at a distance of 1 hour to the east of the interstate 40.
|
