The Painted Desert/Petrified Forest National Park

The Painted Desert is a colorful and otherworldly landscape that is unlike any other place on Earth. The Badlands of the Four Corners area, the Painted Desert stretches from near the east end of Grand Canyon National Park and southeast into Petrified Forest National Park. It is most easily accessed from the north portion of Petrified Forest National Park. The area gets its name from the colorful rocks and clay that have been sculpted by wind and water into strange and beautiful shapes. The colors are caused by Iron oxide in the rocks, which gives them a red, orange, and yellow hue. The Painted Desert is an amazing place to see the forces of nature at work, and it is sure to leave any visitor with a sense of wonder.