Two-for-One

May 7 2009 by Sam Lowe

blog-8-photo.jpgIn these times, when so many of us retirees are concerned with stretching the budget as far as possible, two-for-one deals are a welcome form of travel. One of my favorites is the combination of the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert in eastern Arizona.

Travelers can take a delightful 28-mile drive through these two natural wonderlands for a mere $10 per vehicle. (The deal gets even better if you own a Golden Age Passport because then it's free.) Either way, a trip through the 93,520-acre piece of high desert is a journey into spectacular scenery.



Technically, both destinations are in the Petrified Forest National Park. The petrified trees are the main draw and the Giant Logs Trail at the south entrance lets rockhounds get close to them. Be forewarned, however: Don't pick up even the smallest pebble because thefts of petrified wood are vigorously prosecuted.

Once away from of the Visitor Center, the landscape changes color frequently and dramatically, as sort of a prelude to what lies ahead. Most of the hues in the Petrified Forest are muted reds, tans, grays, purples and browns but they pale when compared to the shades of the Painted Desert, especially if you arrive around late afternoon.

The road takes the traveler to several overlooks where petrified logs are scattered in total disarray so it's a place of haunting beauty. Then, the colors brighten and the gullies deepen as the Painted Desert unfolds before your eyes. There are several vantage points along the route and the scenery gets better at each one. The colors stretch for miles across flatlands, then plummet into mini-gorges, only to rise again on the other side.

Scientifically, the shades are produced by sandstone, clay, silt stone and hematite; artistically, they are scarlets and umbers, beiges and mauves, purples and whites, all layered on a giant palette.

If you follow the posted speed limit and don't make any stops, the trip can last little more than an hour. But if you want the full benefits, plan to spend most of the day. Make all the stops and take in all the vistas. Just don't take any souvenirs that you didn't pay for.

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