Arizona has more than a few gorgeous parks for tourists to enjoy. Petrified Forest National Park and Indian Cave State Park are two of the best known. In Petrified Forest National Park, visitors can drive a vehicle right up to the entrance of the Park. The cool climate and scenery make it one of the best destinations for bird watching.
The first thing you notice when entering the Park is that it is very different from other national parks. For one, it is composed primarily of conifers. Petrified Forest National Park is, in fact, comprised of about eighty different conifers. In its middle, the gigantic Rainbow Forest is filled with colorful petrified timber.
It is home to the world’s oldest known sandstone art museum, which is housed in a restored cabin. Further north, in the center of the Park is the beautiful ruins of Puerco Pueblo and the ancient ruins of the same-named town. To the south are the beautiful petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock, and Painted Desert Inn. To the north are the ruins of Pahana Road and several trails leading to them
Traveling in Arizona is a good way to learn a lot about the southwest. In addition to visiting these interesting places, you can also partake in a number of outdoor activities. One of these activities is taking part in the Rainbow Springs Skywalk.
The “Skywalk” starts off with a forty-one inch skywalk made out of hand-cut granite. Just past this, hikers will see the very first geological formation in Arizona, called Bedrock. It is actually the remains of an ancient stream bed. Just past this, hikers will encounter Cave Mountain, which is one of the deepest caves in Arizona, it measured thirty-seven feet in diameter. Further on, you will pass through the Indian Cave National Monument, and Pikes Peak. Beyond that, you will reach your car.
Back at your car, you can decide whether or not to hike to another part of the trail or just turn around and go back. If you want to continue on to Catalina Flats or Petrified Forest National Park, then it’s recommended that you rent a vehicle. There are several tour buses running around that offer scenic tours of the area. If you’re one of those people who think they have to pay for everything, then I suggest renting your own vehicle, because it’s so much better.
After reaching your car, you will want to set up camp wherever you want to stay, as long as you have the ground that the forest takes, and it’s fairly flat. In fact, there is no limit to how deep into the forest you can go. I recommend staying for at least a week, as there is a lot of forest to be explored. The landscape will change drastically after you leave camp, as it slowly blends with the surrounding desert.
The very first day of your trip you will take a helicopter ride over the desert, and it will give you an awesome view of the area. After this you will drive through the desert to the Petrified Forest, where you will walk into the forest and hike along a trail that is carved for you by scientists sixty years ago. This trail will take you to many spectacular sites, including Devil’s Claw, where a previously unknown species of wolf resides. It is also a great site for a picnic lunch, so plan on bringing a picnic lunch. Overall, this was my first visit to the Petrified Forest National Park, and it was a wonderful experience.