Category Archives: On the Road

Arizona – Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs

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These petroglyphs, pecked into these rocks allow a glimpse of the life and world of the people who farmed the Puerco  River Valley 650 to 2,000 years ago. More than 650 rock art designs–the largest concentration of petroglyphs in Petrified Forest National Park — adorn the boulders that tumbled to rest below the cliffs above.

What do the petroglyphs mean? No one knows for sure. Petroglyph styles change over time, but their meaning remains a mystery. Even so, petroglyphs provide a valuable resource for studying past cultures.

The great variety of petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock includes human and animal like figures, spiritual figures, hands and tracks, and geometrics.

Arizona - Newspaper Rock Images

Arizona – Newspaper Rock Images

Arizona - Newspaper Rock Historical Images

Arizona – Newspaper Rock Historical Images

Arizona - Newspaper Rock Detailed Images

Arizona – Newspaper Rock Detailed Images

 

Arizona – Petrified Forest – Newspaper Rock

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When rocks are exposed to the elements a patina called “desert varnish” forms on the surface. Native people used sharp tools to chip into this veneer of iron and manganese oxides, clay minerals and organic materials revealing the lighter color rock beneath. A great variety of petroglyphs (second image below) are present in this area called Newspaper Rock in the Petrified National Forest, Arizona. (Detailed images tomorrow.)

Arizona - Newspaper Rock Vista

Arizona – Newspaper Rock Vista

Arizona - Newspaper Rocks

Arizona – Newspaper Rocks

Newspaper Rock Marker

Newspaper Rock Marker

 

Arizona – Petrified Forest Landscape

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Arizona - Petrified Forest Landscape

Arizona – Petrified Forest Landscape

Petrified Forest was set aside as a national monument in 1906 to preserve and protect the petrified wood for its scientific value. It is recognized today for having so much more, including a broad representation of the Late Triassic paleo-ecosystem, significant human history, clear night skies, fragile grasslands ecosystem, and unspoiled scenic vistas.

Arizona – Badlands Panorama

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Arizona - Badlands Panorama

Arizona – Badlands Panorama

Badlands (Petrified National Forest) are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. They are characterized by steep slopes, minimal vegetation, lack of a substantial regolith, and high drainage density] They can resemble a terrain of volcanic rock. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological forms are common in badlands. They are often difficult to navigate by foot. Badlands often have a spectacular color display that alternates from dark black/blue coal stria to bright clays to red scoria.

Arizona – Painted Desert

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Arizona - Painted Desert

Arizona – Painted Desert

The Painted Desert is composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the Triassic Chinle Formation. These fine-grained rock layers contain abundant iron and manganese compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region. Thin resistant lacustrine limestone layers and volcanic flows cap the mesas. Numerous layers of silicic volcanic ash occur in the Chinle and provide the silica for the petrified logs of the area.

Arizona – Petrified Forest National Park

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Arizona - Red Landscape

Arizona – Red Landscape

Petrified Forest National Park is a United States national park in northeastern Arizona. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 146 square miles (380 km2), encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands.

Cross Country Road Trip

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Decided to drive from California to North Carolina (via detours in Texas and Florida) to experience the vast landscape that this country offers. Will be posting over the next several weeks images from our two-week journey. Hope you enjoy the images and visually experience what we did.

Starting with the desert of California,

California Desert

California Desert

we drove across the red landscape of Arizona …

Arizona Landscape

Arizona Landscape