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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Arizona >> Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona >> 2024 Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

2024 Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona

Images of Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona, taken in January 2024.

In northern Arizona lie plains and badlands that are slowly revealing the remnants of what was once a tropical landscape. Petrified Forest National Park protects the modern-day remains of that world from 225 million years ago. It was then that fallen trees were buried by layers of sediment and then soaked up groundwater and silica which over time crystalized into quartz. It is this process that is responsible for the rainbow of colors on display along the trails of this park.

I’ve visited this park several times in the past, including as a child with my family. This time I returned to explore the many trails I had neglected in the past, and to take in the otherworldly landscapes dotted with colorful petrified wood, the likes of which can be seen nowhere else on earth.
Petrified wood and the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood and the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Large pieces of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Large pieces of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood uncovered by erosion along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood uncovered by erosion along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Early morning sun on chunks of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Early morning sun on chunks of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood in the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood in the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Colorful petrified wood resting along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Colorful petrified wood resting along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Frost paints desert grass along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Frost paints desert grass along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Desert grasses covered in frost along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Desert grasses covered in frost along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A rabbit sits among shards of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A rabbit sits among shards of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified tree rests in the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified tree rests in the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A brightly colored piece of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A brightly colored piece of petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood sits at the base of the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood sits at the base of the badlands along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood on an eroded hill along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood on an eroded hill along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A piece of brightly colored petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A piece of brightly colored petrified wood along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified log sits on a hillside along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified log sits on a hillside along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified tree trunk broken in pieces along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified tree trunk broken in pieces along the Long Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
“Old Faithful” log, almost ten feet across at the base, along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
“Old Faithful” log, almost ten feet across at the base, along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified sections of a fallen tree along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified sections of a fallen tree along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Stephen Mather plaque, one in every national park, along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Stephen Mather plaque, one in every national park, along the Giant Logs Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock in Petrified Forest NP
Petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock in Petrified Forest NP
View of Newspaper Rock in Petrified Forest NP
View of Newspaper Rock in Petrified Forest NP
Large sections of petrified wood on a hill along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Large sections of petrified wood on a hill along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored petrified wood along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored petrified wood along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of colorful petrified wood along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of colorful petrified wood along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood scattered on the ground along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood scattered on the ground along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified logs rests in the badlands along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A petrified logs rests in the badlands along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Color saturated petrified log along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Color saturated petrified log along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Sections of a petrified log sit along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Sections of a petrified log sit along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A large petrified log along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A large petrified log along the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest NP
The Tepees along the park road in Petrified Forest NP
The Tepees along the park road in Petrified Forest NP
Late afternoon sunlight creates contrasts on the badlands in Petrified Forest NP
Late afternoon sunlight creates contrasts on the badlands in Petrified Forest NP
A barren bush along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A barren bush along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Badlands on the trail descent along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Badlands on the trail descent along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Multi-hued formation along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Multi-hued formation along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A small bush along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
A small bush along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified log sitting on top of a hill along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified log sitting on top of a hill along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of a petrified log sitting on a hill along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of a petrified log sitting on a hill along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified sections of a log along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified sections of a log along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored badlands from an overlook into the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Brightly colored badlands from an overlook into the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
View of the badlands from an overlook into the Blue Forrest in Petrified Forest NP
View of the badlands from an overlook into the Blue Forrest in Petrified Forest NP
Root of a bush extends below the trail along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Root of a bush extends below the trail along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood and badlands along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified wood and badlands along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of the badland’s material along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Closeup of the badland’s material along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Vibrant badlands along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Vibrant badlands along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified log sits on an eroded pedestal along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Petrified log sits on an eroded pedestal along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest NP
Sunset on the badlands of the Painted Desert from Pintado Point in Petrified Forest NP
Sunset on the badlands of the Painted Desert from Pintado Point in Petrified Forest NP
Late afternoon sun on the Painted Desert as seen from Lacey Point in Petrified Forest NP
Late afternoon sun on the Painted Desert as seen from Lacey Point in Petrified Forest NP
Sunset colors the Painted Desert in Petrified Forest NP
Sunset colors the Painted Desert in Petrified Forest NP
The Painted Desert in Petrified Forest NP
The Painted Desert in Petrified Forest NP