Oscar Mayer

Maria and I were driving RELSHME across Arizona on our way to Flagstaff when she spotted the sign for the Petrified Forest National Park over the dash dog. We both knew we had to immediately mustard up the courage to go in and check out one of our nation’s great National Parks. It turned out to be a great decision. Not only did we get to see one of the largest and most colorful collections of petrified wood, but we got to see the Painted Desert, and ancient Indian Petroglyphs.

Getting a view of the Painted Desert badlands.

When roaming the park, Maria and I each had the same question: What is petrified wood?

Frankfully, we had a brochure from the park that explained that a petrified tree is a tree where all if its organic material is replaced by minerals and thus, it turns from wood to stone. These didn’t decompose because they were initially buried under layers of sediment that lacked the oxygen needed to break down the organic matter. Water flowing through the area brought with it minerals that were deposited into the cells of the trees, eventually turning them into stone.

Looking at these stones up close, it is easy to tell that they were once trees years ago. FUN FACT: It takes less than 100 years to petrify a tree. These trees were alive about 200 – 250 million years ago when this desert landscape was lush with trees, plants, animal life, rivers, and streams!

We also saw ancient Petroglyphs made from Native Americans thousands of years ago at the park.