Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest National Park is home both to ancient silica-preserved tree trunks and the eroded sedimentary rocks of the Chinle forming the Painted Desert. The multi-colored layered formations display a spectrum of varying hues with their colors becoming most intense and rapidly shifting during sunset. A similar broad-spectrum of colors can be seen in the quartzite wood remains of the late Triassic period which glisten in the sunlight.

These pictures were taken over the course of one late afternoon and the following day. If you aren’t photography focused and just want to take in the sights, one day is completely adequate for a visit. If you can, you should definitely time it for late in the day.

While many of the sights can be appreciated from the road or designated viewpoints, a different perspective can be had by short hikes out into the badlands. Be sure to stop at the visitor centers and ask for information on the unmarked hiking trails as the trails are not at all obvious from the viewpoint pull-offs. They can provide maps of the hiking areas.

Enjoy this selection of my favorites from the visit! A bit numerous but difficult to narrow them down. Can you guess which one was taken with my iPhone 5S?