Petrified Forest National Park

I drove out to Petrified Forest National park this morning.  A vast landscape of badlands containing petrified logs, the Painted Desert, and petroglyphs.

As I begin the park drive, there are panoramic views of the Painted Desert at a number of overlooks.

The rim of the plateau on which I stand is black basalt formed by volcanoes between 16 and 5 million years ago.  Pinyon-juniper scrubland grows on this cap over the soft red rocks of the Chinle Formation.  The areas not covered by basalt erode to form the badlands.

Portion of Painted Desert Rim trail.

Redstem Stork's Bill

At Newspaper rock viewpoint there are more than 650 petroglyphs some over 2000 yrs old.

Arizona Spring Parsley

 Agate Bridge a 110 ft petrified log over a gully

Petrified logs dot the landscape, remnants of prehistoric forests

Petrified logs are scattered over the landscape.  These trees died and were buried in sediment.  They took in groundwater and silica from volcanic ash.  Eventually crystallizing into quartz.  Throughout the park there are huge areas of exposed logs while in other parts they still lie buried.

 Logs everywhere

 Now solid petrified wood much of it quartz

 Desert Primrose on petrified log

  

More logs

Near the south park exit I stopped at the Rainbow Forest Museum.  The park contains animal and plant fossils from the late Triassic period.

 Dicynodont

Metoposaur - a gigantic amphibian

A polished petrified log

Storm in distance

Pronghorn antelope