The NPS is overflowing with majestic National Parks, absorbing National Historic Sites, and breathtaking National Monuments. However - some sites are to protect what once was, and not what still is. A site such as Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico is a shell of a once thriving fort, and in its remaining ruins, the visitor still has an interesting stroll around the grounds, with the lovely New Mexico landscape surrounding you.
Petrified Forest National Park outside of Holbrook, AZ is one of the few sites where among its vast protected land, is.................
not interesting.
These sorts of comments are difficult to write or come to a conclusion after a visit to any site in the NPS treasure chest, but this one not only failed to knock our socks off, it wasn't even able to loosen our shoelaces.
The Eastern Arizona desert drive is barren in its landscape. From Gallup, NM to Flagstaff, AZ, the drive is flat, hot, and long. But 250 million years ago, this arid desert floor was lush and foliage covered with towering trees, marshy swamps and was teeming with dinosaurs and prehistoric wildlife. A volcanic eruption 225 million years ago eradicated every tree within hundreds of miles. The desert, as it often does, took the land away, but the trees were buried under layers of mud and volcanic ash. This provided the trees with the perfect conditions in which to preserve perfectly and crystallize the tree "fossils", turning them to stone.
The park has two visitor centers, but most reach the park through the I-40 exit. The Johnson Era (from the looks of it, Andrew, not Lyndon) Visitor Center has a small gift store and cafe before you take the 28-mile drive through the park. The center itself is, in the nicest words possible...horrible. Broken toilets, ripped carpet, and a space difficult for five people to stand in makes you long to get back in the car. The road, although two lanes, forces the driver to make the entire 28-mile drive, as the freeway exit is only one way. (Yes, the stamp is a pathetic sticker - you know the tale).
The Painted Desert and its accompanying inn is the first stop after the Visitor Center and fee gate. A slight incline allows the visitors to view the Painted Desert and its extreme colors. While attractive, the view is not inspiring. The Inn, while housing a museum and bookstore presently, was once a Route 66 overnight destination for the Mother Road travelers. But the Crystal Forest that awaited us on our drive took us past this location. A Model-T car parked on the side of the drive alerts travelers to the original crossing of Route 66.
But before the final stop, an endless drive took us to the ruins of Puerco Pueblo.
Puerco Pueblo......we know ruins. We worked and walked amongst ruins....You, Puerco, are no ruins.
WAIT!!! What the hell was that?
This, ladies and gentleman, is the fabled Crystal Forest. What once was an endless plain of petrified logs and wood has been picked over by poachers over tens of decades (before the removal laws became enforced), and these visitors all but walked away with the entire forest. What remains are pieces so sporadically located, that the entire region can be walked in five minutes. Archeologists believe there to be thousands of fossilized trees still under the ground, but no further excavation will be completed here. So thanks to poachers....the field looks like our cat's litter box.
Upon leaving, we were met by the ranger on the other end who asked, "Did you all enjoy your time here"?
We're still thinking of a nice answer to that question.
FINAL RATING
2/10
My thoughts exactly...
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