Painted Desert(Petrified Forest National Park)Holbrook, Arizona
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Rating |
Excellent |
Age |
5 and up |
Lockers |
Not needed | Restrooms |
At Visitors Center |
Food |
Holbrook |
Closest Coffee |
The swill in the Hotel is your best bet. |
Recommendation |
Amazing landscapes. Take a trail and really see the place. |
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Review: by Dad
We decided to do this as a separate review from the Petrified Forest even though this is still the same National Park. The north end of the park focuses mostly on the Painted Desert, while the south end's focus is the Petrified Forest. Obviously, there are overlaps, and many of the Painted Desert trails are littered with fossilized rock shards, but they really do seem different in our minds.
The Painted Desert gets its name from the many colors present in the rock formations. They are beautiful from a distance, and spectacular up close. I have never seen a desert like this. The only place I have been to that comes close with the colors is the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan.
We took the Blue Mesa trail. It was amazing, but there were a lot of stairs, so I wouldn't bring a stroller or things like that. Also, you may not want to bring kids that you may have to carry up the stairs. The colors in the pictures do not do justice to the place. It is spectacular. I have never been any place as quiet. It is an amazing trail.
There are also a few places in the park where you can view ancient petroglyphs. The parking lots are quite close to the viewing area, but visitors cannot get close to the petroglyphs. There are binocular viewers there so you can get a better view of the drawings.
This is a desert, and gets very hot, so make sure you bring lots of water. Also, make sure your car has enough water. This would be a very bad place to break down with a carload of kids.
Additional Review:
Will: The trail through the Blue Mesa was fun. It was so quiet.
Sam: Don't forget to take the drive through the Petrified Forest portion of the park.
