This was another long travel day, and we were up and on our way early on June 22, 2022. Things went well along I-40 for about 3 and 1/2 hours – then we were routed off of I-40 due to brush fires in the area. The back up was awful and added about 2 hours to our drive. I even had to run out to the camper to use the bathroom while we were sitting still on the highway!
We did eventually make it into Arizona and to the Painted Desert Visitors Center in the National Park. Jack and I ran in to grab a trip planner then we began to drive the main park road with the camper in tow. We quickly realized that what we really needed to set up camp, eat, rest, and save the park for the next day. So we snapped a few pics, then did just that.
We stayed at another KOA in Holbrook – not much to mention except that we had full hook-up, they had a dog walking area, and the owners make a pancake breakfast in the morning. I was up at 5:00 am because of all the time changes, but I got to take the dogs for a nice walk before it was too hot. Jack and I were first in line for breakfast (Dave’s stomach wasn’t feeling up to it) and then we headed toward the North Entrance of the park.
Petrified Forest is an amazing park and very accessible to all. If all you did was drive the 28 miles along the main park road and stop at overlooks, it would still be worth it. In fact, this was sort of the approach that we took, stopping at and touring many sites along the way. We planned to hike the Blue Mesa Trail, a 1 mile loop that “offers the unique experience of hiking among badland hills of bluish bentonite clay as well as petrified wood.” – NPS.gov. This trail was breathtaking, and one of the coolest things we’d done on our trip.
We also hiked a short .3 mile loop around Puerco Pueblo and saw the remains of what was once a 100 room Pueblo. We viewed petroglyphs at this location as well as at Newspaper Rock. There was one last trail to walk as the sun reached its peak and we arrived at the Southern entrance to the park. Here was the Rainbow Forest Museum and Visitor’s Center along with the Giant Logs trail. I was able to snap lots of photos of the petrified wood on this short trail.
It had been an amazing trip so far, and we were exhausted, a bit sore, and a little sun-kissed. We returned to Holbrook and set off for the Grand Canyon!
