Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest was the last park on our recent tour of the Southwest.

We've been here before but always when the Summer sun had washed out the colors and much of the beauty lies in the color of the rock.

On past trips the heat had kept me from exploring down into the badlands.  I was pleased that the weather cooperated and I was able to see these beautiful formations of Chinle Shale up close.

Of course, people do not come to this park just for the badlands, they come for the petrified wood.

Agate Bridge is an example of how the Park Service has changed its ways.

It was thought that this log would soon collapse so a support was made under it.  Today they would have allowed nature to take its course and the bridge would have been allowed to break and fall into the ravine.

 Painted Desert Inn is a relic of a bygone era.  It was built by the CCC on the site of the earlier Stone Tree House.  It no longer serves meals or provides lodging but is a museum and a tribute to the craftsmanship of an earlier era.

This is what people most want to see, the amazing colors of the petrified wood.

Once freely harvested by rock hounds, the petrified wood in the park is now protected.  They ask you when you enter if you have purchased any outside the park and on leaving if you have collected.  It is all on the honor system, though.  There are plenty of rock shops outside the park so it isn't necessary to steal our heritage.

 I like this one, you can see the petrified remains of the roots.  No doubt that this was once a living tree but that was 225 million years ago.  To find out more about how these trees came to be turned to stone, click here.

You can see more views of this wonderful world of ours at That's My World Tuesday, hosted for us each week by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.