A Pup, a Patch, and Petrified Forest National Park

Our final planned Arizona stop before heading north was something truly ancient—220 million years ancient, to be exact.

We pulled into Petrified Forest National Park in the evening to try to get ahead of the plan for the next day.  And we had one additional mission: completing our Arizona Explorer Badge. We ultimately hit nine national park sites in Arizona: three national parks (all of them) and six national monuments (more than the four total required to get the patch).

The ranger we met that evening was exactly the kind of ranger every traveling family hopes for—enthusiastic, informed, and kind. He didn’t scrutinize every crossword puzzle. Instead, he welcomed us in, awarded the Arizona Explorer patches, gave us the Petrified Forest Junior Ranger booklets, and even slipped us the Petrified Forest Junior Ranger badges so we could present them to the kids when they finished.

He had a small table set up with pieces of petrified wood for the kids to hold—most of which looked like something they’d find in the backyard, until they picked them up and realized they were solid rock. James nearly dropped one on his toe. They felt like wood, looked like wood—but were quartz, iron, and other minerals in disguise.

The next morning, we walked the Giant Logs Trail, which delivered exactly what it promised. Massive stone trees stretched out on the ground, as if toppled in yesterday’s storm. Only these trees dated back to the Triassic era, fossilized over 220 million years into dazzling logs of reds, purples, yellows, and blues. Every detail—from the growth rings to the bark textures—was preserved in stone. It was like wandering through a museum of nature’s deep-time memory.

We also explored the small but fascinating prehistoric museum on the southern end of the park, where we learned that the region is home to one of the most complete Triassic fossil records in the world. The ranger explained that petrified wood like this can be found in all 50 states and on every continent—but here, it’s unusually well-preserved and scattered right across the surface for anyone to see.

Heading north, we entered the Painted Desert, where Poky was thrilled to be allowed on every trail—paved, dirt, or backcountry. We pulled off at a few overlooks so he could stretch his legs, sniff the breeze, and lead the charge across the desert rim. This part of the park is pure artistry: rolling badlands brushed with layers of lavender, crimson, and dusty rose.

We were grateful to start the day out among stone trees and desert rainbows, although it was 40 degrees colder than Sedona the day before. Turns out the petrified trees don’t seem to mind the cold.