Catalina State Park to Holbrook, AZ - Petrified Forest National Park

Catalina State Park to Holbrook, AZ - Petrified Forest National Park

April 1 - 4, 2019

On Wednesday, April 3, we drove from Catalina State Park to Holbrook, AZ on AZ-77.  This part of Arizona is missed by a lot of people, and it is beautiful!  Here are a couple of pictures between Catalina State Park and Salt River Canyon.  Notice the wildflowers along the side of the road in the first picture, and the different colors in the mountain on the second picture.

The wildflowers were really pretty on the side of this hill.

When you get to the Salt River Canyon area the road goes up and down the mountains several times and there are quite a few switchbacks.  You can see the river in the first picture.

A view from the top of the mountain looking back down to the river.

We also drove through a beautiful forested area south of Show Low, AZ.  I didn't get any pictures of that but it reminded us of the Flagstaff area.  We'd like to go back there someday.  We stayed in Holbrook at the OK RV Park.  It was full hookups for $33 a night (Good Sam discount 10%) and although it was close to I-40 you didn't really hear any traffic noise.

On Thursday, April 4 we went to the Petrified Forest National Park.  The Park includes the Rainbow Forest and the Painted Desert.  We went in the Rainbow Forest entrance and drove north to the Painted Desert entrance.  We talked to the lady in the gift shop and she said that's the best way to do it because the views are better.  First are the petrified trees.

Here's a huge tree that fell down.  They've reinforced it underneath with concrete to keep it from breaking apart.

The scenery changed to the painted desert and the different colored layers in the mountains.

This is one called The Tepees.

These are the petroglyphs at the Newspaper Rock overlook.

We crossed over I-40 to where Route 66 used to run.  There's not much left now.

Then the scenery changes again, and the color of the layers and the mountains changes to red. 

We spent most of the day in the park and I'm glad we had the time to do so.  It was a lot of getting in and out of the truck but it was very much worth it.

Tomorrow we move west.

Roving on...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1