If people had lived thousands of years ago, they could have rested beneath the shade of these trees, but a change of weather patterns eventually capped the growth of this forest. Today people seek out Petrified Forest to marvel at the wood-turned-stone, which, when petrified, turns every shade of the rainbow. These stones are absolutely stunning—huge agates in violent purples and sea greens.

Unfortunately, this beautiful rock has lured looters for years, and people have dug the colorful chunks out as souvenirs. Even though the effects of this looting can be seen today—the number of petrified logs is pitifully small considering the size of the park—people continue to pocket pieces, and, on average, 2,000 pounds of petrified rock are lifted from the park every month.

As a result, there is one route through Petrified Forest National Park. You can drive north to south or south to north, but regardless, visitors need to go through a checkpoint going in and are subject to search on the way out.

It doesn’t matter which direction you travel through the park, but give yourself a good portion of the day to enjoy it. We traveled north to south, so we started our day with the film at the visitors center and then enjoyed the vistas over the Painted Desert—the badlands of the South. From there we wandered into the Painted Desert and then drove south into the heart of Petrified Forest National Park.

If you would also like to visit the park, here are my tips for making your trip easier and more enjoyable:

• Get an early start on the day, especially if you plan to do any hiking. This allows you to catch the coolest part of the day. Plus, the park is huge! If you want to spend time doing more than just checking out the overlooks, you’ll need at least four to six hours in the park.
• There is wilderness camping in the park but no standard campgrounds. The closest town with substantial accommodations is Holbrook, Arizona, about 15 minutes from the southern entrance of the park.
• If you’re into hiking, ask for directions to hike into the wilderness area. These trails aren’t publicly marked on the park brochure, but you’re welcome to use them without any special permits.
• Drink lots of water. It’s a desert out there!
• Wear lots of sunscreen. The sun is intense.
• The state of Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Be mindful of this when you enter Arizona from a bordering state.
• Finally, please, for the love of all that’s good and evil, don’t remove anything from Petrified Forest National Park. Just don’t do it.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• Tips for Visiting Navajo National Monument
• Tips for Visiting Canyon de Chelly National Monument
• Hiking in the Rain at Sunset Crater Volcano
  

In short, I’m not a shopper.

But then I walked into Le Travel Store, and it was the equivalent of walking into heaven for me. (In fact, I tweeted that finding the store was my version of porn, which got me all sorts of followers I’d rather not have.) The truth is, though, that when I need travel gear, I generally have to buy clothes in one place, books in another and gear somewhere else. Le Travel Store, however, really is a one-stop shop for the urban traveler.

The owners of the store, Bill and Joan Keller, have been perfecting Le Travel Store’s model over the last 34 years. Their extensive travel experience has made them aware of the needs and desires of other travelers. With that in mind, the store stocks quality products at good prices. Eagle Creek, Timbuk2, The North Face, Patagonia, Columbia and Rick Steves brands are all represented.

Le Travel Store is unpretentious and caters to travelers with a variety of styles. Packs include backpacks, day packs and suitcases, and easy-to-pack wine bottle containers are stored within eyesight of PacSafe anti-theft backpack mesh coverings. The store also has an array of guidebooks and maps for countries and cities around the world. I think the addition of a travel magazine section would be brilliant (hopefully introducing Bill to AFAR will kick start the section), but overall, any information a traveler needs can be found in Le Travel Store.

As I walked throughout the store, I drooled over the backpacks and innovative packing gear. I maintained control, though, and only bought a packable daypack and long-sleeve Columbia shirt (the recent discovery of too much cotton in my closet spurred this purchase). There were so many more things that I wanted to purchase though. Just about everything in the store had a useful and legitimate purpose for easier travel.

If you’re in the Gaslamp Quarter of  San Diego, I recommend you stop by the store. For those who can’t make it in person, you can browse the merchandise online.

Located at 745 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, California 92101. Open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon-6:00 p.m.

People have lived in these canyons for nearly 5,000 years. First the Basketmakers lived here, followed by the Anasazi (ancestors of today’s Pueblo and Hopi Indians). This latter group moved out of the canyons some 700 years ago, but the Hopi migrated to the area after that and settled in the canyon during the summers. The Navajo followed. Today, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which was established in 1931, encompasses nearly 84,000 acres within the Navajo Reservation, and many Navajo families still live in the canyon.

There are several cliff dwellings in Canyon de Chelly, which can be viewed from scenic drives and overlooks on both the north and south sides of the canyon. Though this provides a good overview of the area, if you want to get into the canyon, your options are fairly limited.Because the land in the canyon is inhabited by people, visitors to the park are not able to freely climb into and out of the canyon at their leisure. There is one exception and that is the hike to the White House Ruin, which is 2.5 miles round trip. Beyond that, there are only a couple ways to get into the canyon:

1. Take a private guided tour with a Navajo guide. You can go hiking, backcountry camping, horseback riding and four-wheeling in the canyon, but you have to do so with a guide. Arrangements are made through Thunderbird Lodge, which is in the park near the Cottonwood Campground. When we were there, the price was $20 per hour per person for a minimum of three hours.

2. Take advantage of the free guided hikes given by national park personnel offered in the summer. On the weekends throughout the summer, there is one guided hike a day into the canyon. Stop by the visitors center when you arrive in the park to find out where and when the hike will be happening, and get your name on the list to go. These early morning hikes lead to one of several of the ruins in the canyon and take between three and four hours.

Canyon de Chelly is a no-fee park and located very close to Chinle, a good-sized town. As a result, there is a lot of traffic running through the park that is unrelated to the park itself. There are frequently people who park and hang out in Cottonwood Campground, which is reminiscent of a state campground rather than one run by the National Park Service. It was a bit curious and unnerving to be observed by people sitting in their vehicles while we put up our tent and ate our meals, but it seems to be a common occurrence.

If you will be traveling to Canyon de Chelly National Monument, here are a few tips to make your trip easier and more enjoyable:

• Pack binoculars. In order thoroughly appreciate the dwellings in the canyon from above, you’ll want to use a pair of binoculars to spot and observe them.
• Don’t feed the wandering dogs in the campgrounds. Though some of them are strays, many are not but they continue to spend time in the campgrounds begging for food because people feed them. Help break that cycle by ignoring them instead.
• Car thefts at overlooks are common so lock your valuables up. Be mindful of what you leave behind at your camp as well.
• This is a no-fee park and camping is first-come, first-served. There were plenty of spots at Cottonwood Campground over the weekend during the summer when we visited.
• Cottonwood Campground is called that for a reason. If you have allergies, bring plenty of meds to combat the floating cotton in the air.
• Take advantage of the ranger-led hike if you are able. If you choose to hire a guide, I would suggest you make sure it is in the best interest of the environment. The four-wheelers really tear up the land.
• Drink lots of water—it’s a desert out there!
• The Navajo Nation observes Daylight Savings Time but the rest of Arizona and the Hopi Nation does not. When you visit Canyon de Chelly National Monument during the summer, it is one hour ahead of the rest of the state.
• Once you reach the bottom of Canyon de Chelly, it is either a wet or dried up wash. Expect to hike through water or slog through deep sand.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• Tips for Visiting Navajo National Monument, Arizona
• Living on the Land: A Journey to Lake Quinault, Washingon
• Deciphering the Secret at Bryce Canyon