Our travels take us to Holbrook, Arizona, and a drive through a “forest” of petrified wood (and beautiful scenery) in our first National Park!
While on our way back from Quartzsite, Arizona in February, we took a break in Holbrook for an overnight stay at Maverik #478. Before heading out of town the next day, however, we noticed there was the Petrified Forest National Park not too far away. Since we had never used our new Access pass for the National Park Service, we were anxious to give it a try.
With the Access pass getting the entrance fee waived, we set out for a leisurely drive through this National Park. While the temperature outside was chilly, the sights were what were captivating our attention. The scenery was beautiful! Since we are both disabled (see more on our About Us page), we really appreciated being able to see all this from the comfort of Bessie the van without having to strain ourselves through various hiking adventures (which we try to avoid as much as possible).
The Petrified Forest National Park was a great introduction to #vanlife in National Parks. We didn’t have to worry about parking there (which the Access pass may – or may not – discount), the sights were easy to see along our drive (there are hiking trails as well for those more able-bodied) and we could travel through at our own pace (while we were pretty much by ourselves on this chilly day, there are pull-outs along the way so you don’t impede traffic). There was even an old car marking where historic Route 66 used to run through the place!
A fun time overall, the Petrified Forest National Park, while not being one of the more famous National Parks, is definitely worth a look if you’re in the Holbrook area!
