Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

In 1956, when I was 8 years old, my father, after 15 years in the Navy on active duty during WWII, graduated from college on the GI Bill in my home state of Kansas and we moved to Los Angeles so he could take a job at Lockheed Aircraft. From then on, we spent every summer vacation driving across the Southwest, first stopping in Colorado to visit my dad’s family and then going to Kansas to visit my mom’s family. This was before Route 66 became an Interstate. Along the way, we frequently stopped briefly at the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest NP. My parents didn’t have much money in those days so my dad and mom took turns driving and sleeping so we didn’t stop overnight. One morning before dawn my mom was driving and I was awake. My dad and sister were asleep. My mom suggested that we stop at the Painted Desert which is quite close to Petrified Forest NP. We stopped at a lookout point and got out of the car and my mom and I watched the sunrise over the Painted Desert. The colors were spectacular, the sky was that beautiful Southwest blue that is found nowhere else on earth and it was so quiet not even a bird was singing. It was truly a spiritual experience. Then we went to the Petrified Forest.

During those cross country trips we stopped at many National Parks. Sometimes we took a more northern route when we returned to LA and stopped at Zion and Bryce and once we even went up to Yellowstone although it was somewhat out of the way.

I will never forget those road trips and how awe inspiring our National Parks are. When I became an adult I made sure to take my son on vacations to our National Parks. We have been to almost every NP in the West. My parents could never afford to stay at any of the beautiful, old National Park lodges so I made sure that my son and I went to at least some (Old Faithful Inn) but we also camped out. I still go to our National Parks whenever I can. I have a vacation to North Cascades planned for this year. I have so many wonderful memories both of my childhood and sharing our parks with my son. Americans are blessed beyond measure to have these parks, both natural and historical. We must protect them.

Sincerely,
Barbara Kaye

Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest is best known for its ancient trees that have crystallized over 225 million years into rainbow colors. The park also features fossils from huge 18-foot crocodile-like creatures known as Phytosaurs, as well as remnants from 13,000 years of human history, including the remains of villages, tools, and grinding stones. A 28-mile road runs through the park, offering a number of short hiking trails into the diverse landscape of wild grasslands and Painted Desert vistas and colorful badlands.

State(s): Arizona

Established: 1962

“They are beautiful, educational and record our history as a country. they are uniquely American!”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

    I have loved the National Parks for about as long as I can remember. They protect some pretty awesome creations in nature, places where I've personally experienced freedom and peace. One of my favorites that I've seen is Petrified Forest, and I had the opportunity to see it after a…

  • Greetings from Petrified Forest National Park

    First I would like to say, why go on a cruise when there is so much to see in this Country. My son and I back in 1993 took a road trip where we went to the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, Mount Rushmore, Rocky Mountain National Park, The Badlands.…

  • Greetings from Acadia National Park

    amazing!

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now