Petrified Forest National Park – Painted Desert

06May18

Compared to the petrified forest portion of the Petrified Forest National Park, the Painted Desert is relatively small.

While there are eight stops on the portion of the park I chronicled last week, the Painted Desert only features four stops and one of those is the visitor center at the entrance, or in my case – the exit, to the park.

That’s doesn’t mean there isn’t much to see in the Painted Desert. There is. Known for its brilliant and vibrant colors, the Painted Desert includes not only the more common red rock, but even deep lavenders, rich grays, reds, oranges and pinks.

This part of the Petrified Forest is a broad region of rocky badlands. There are several overlooks where you have wonderful views of the Painted Desert. Even though they are relatively close together, each of the overlook gives you a different vantage point and scenic view.

The overlooks are named for historical figures. I was particularly interested in the overlook named in honor of John Lacey. Lacey was instrumental in the writing of the Antiquities Act through which many of our presidents have created national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features.

The fact that Lacey was a U.S. Congressman from Oskaloosa, Iowa, makes his contributions to the National Park Service even more significant for this transplanted Iowan.

Just as you enter the Painted Desert, you come across a monument to the old Route 66, the only place where the historic roadway crosses a national park.

The roadway has been replaced by I-40 that runs nearby, but at various spots you can still make out where the road transported millions of people from Chicago to Los Angeles.

The Route 66 monument consists of a couple of historic markers and an abandoned 1932 Studebaker that serves as a memorial to the vehicles and individuals who drove the historic highway.

My final stop in the Painted Desert and the Petrified National Forest was the Painted Desert Inn. This former roadway stop offers exhibits on the building’s history, Route 66 and the Civilian Conservation Corps. I was hungry and thirsty at this point of the day and could have really gone for an ice cream cone or a cold drink while admiring the view. Unfortunately the Painted Desert Inn no longer serves food and drink.

The pink edifice is now a National Historic Landmark. From here you can ask the one-mile round trip trail that takes you along the plateau, providing excellent views of the Painted Desert. I didn’t want to hike, but I did take the short journey to Kachina Point for my last look upon the Painted Desert.

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