TOP NATIONAL PARKS
Petrified Forest National Park
Arizona
Considered one of the most amazing national parks in the country, the Petrified Forest is truly a unique experience.
Located in the state of Arizona, this national park covers more than 93,000 acres, drawing close to one-half million people every summer.
The varied landscape make this park interesting - to the south you find tall, pine-like trees where archeologists state reptiles, small dinosaurs, and fish-eating amphibians once lived. However, as the trees were washed into swollen streams, they became covered with mud, silt, and volcanic ash. This mixture stopped any oxygen deposits, which slowly caused the broken down trees to decay.
Over time, the trees became encased with silica deposits, which crystallized into mineral quartz. The result is the magnificent Petrified Forest we see today.
Interestingly, because of the ever changing forces of water and wind, fossil-bearing materials, some as deep as 300 feet, are being discovered.
Part of the Petrified Forest is the Painted Desert. This vast badlands is comprised of buttes and mesas where vegetation is sparse. However, because of the rainbow of colors from sedimentary layers, it appears as a beautifully painted desert, thus the name.
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