Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

  1. I was 5 years old, on a family trip from El Paso, Texas to Reno, Nevada to visit my aunt and her family. We drove through New Mexico and Arizona, and stopped at Petrified Forest. I think it was still a National Monument at that time. We also stopped at the Grand Canyon. This was the first of many later visits to our National Parks. I have been to Yosemite, Yellowstone, Sequoia, Carlsbad Caverns, Hawaii Volcano, and the National Mall. I will be returning to Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon next month. We need to be able to escape to nature to refresh and restore our souls.

Sincerely,
Beverly

Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest is best known for its ancient trees that have crystallized over 225 million years into rainbow colors. The park also features fossils from huge 18-foot crocodile-like creatures known as Phytosaurs, as well as remnants from 13,000 years of human history, including the remains of villages, tools, and grinding stones. A 28-mile road runs through the park, offering a number of short hiking trails into the diverse landscape of wild grasslands and Painted Desert vistas and colorful badlands.

State(s): Arizona

Established: 1962

Share on:

“America's National Parks are our greatest treasures. They should be preserved for future generations to enjoy and explore. We must value our naturals spaces, and not allow special interests to pollute and destroy them. ”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

 {{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

    In 1956, when I was 8 years old, my father, after 15 years in the Navy on active duty during WWII, graduated from college on the GI Bill in my home state of Kansas and we moved to Los Angeles so he could take a job at Lockheed Aircraft. From…

  • Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

    I have loved the National Parks for about as long as I can remember. They protect some pretty awesome creations in nature, places where I've personally experienced freedom and peace. One of my favorites that I've seen is Petrified Forest, and I had the opportunity to see it after a…

  • Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

    First I would like to say, why go on a cruise when there is so much to see in this Country. My son and I back in 1993 took a road trip where we went to the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, Mount Rushmore, Rocky Mountain National Park, The Badlands.…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now