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Quite a few units of the National Park System have a "Painted" something-or-other. In Petrified Forest National Park, it's the Painted Desert, with saturated desert colors of orange, red, rust, pink and beige. This Painted Desert can be accessed just off of Interstate 40 through Arizona.
Hot summers mean monsoon rains hovering over the landscape to create moody compositions for your camera.
"Blue Mesa is a significant landform located on a spur road halfway through Petrified Forest National Park. The road (~5 miles round trip) goes on top of the mesa with scenic overlooks of the landscape, badlands, trail, and hoodoos. The trailhead for Blue Mesa Trail is located halfway around the loop road at a sunshelter. The mesa consists of the Blue Mesa and Sonsela Members with petrified wood deposits. Spectacular views of blue, purple, gray, and peach banded badlands."
"In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, the inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. Today's adobe facade dates to the 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn."
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Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
