Day 12 was the big super long travel day to get myself back heading north. I ended up in Gallup, NM. Long day nothing exciting really and then headed off in the morning to Petrified Forest National Park just an hour away in Arizona.
This was one of the few days I made it to a National Park just when they were opening. Even though I was still there early I would never be able to get everything I wanted done. Why you ask? Well this is me we are talking about. It is because I did something crazy.
Okay first stop was Tawa Point and then along Painted Rim Trail to the historic Painted Desert Inn. A former inn along Route 66 now a museum honoring the past. Along this trail I saw several jackrabbits and maybe a kangaroo rat or two. Was not sure what they were. But the most important part of that walk was the amazing vista.
Once I made it the inn I headed out to Kachina Point right behind it. This is an important picture to see.
Way down there. That is a trail. And I was intrigued. But first I had to walk back to my car and move it up. I did. And then I found the trail, Off the Beaten Path Onyx Bridge Trail. Sounded amazing. I followed the trail down. Through the red hills and out into the back country. Here is where things went sideways. Someone had made a cairn so I went that way. But that way was for the deep backcountry trail. After heading that way for about 3/4 of a mile I looked back at my map on my phone. The GPS had me way west of the trail I should be on. So back east I went. and when I came to the cairn again I looked to see where this trail led but was unable to find the way through.
Overall I had hiked just over 2 and 1/4 miles. I headed back up the side. Looked at the trail and the headed into the rangers office. Talking to them I found several other trails I was going to try and found out where I went wrong. There had been a trail map that I could have gotten if I had gone in there earlier but well I thought I was good reading the sign and it matched the map on my phone. Lesson learned. Oh no... not really their maps are not really maps. They are a topographical map with a dotted line showing the route.
Then they are landmarks you should be looking for to make sure you are on the right trail. Oh boy.
Okay so I went down into the valley or whatever its called and walked around. Here are some pics. I mean i may not have got where I wanted but it was super cool.
*** Due to poor internet at my current location will finish this at Best friends Animal Sanc tomorrow night**
Yay real internetz sorry for the delay.
Okay so after that debacle there were some cool stops. The Route 66 Studebaker that marks the spot where Route 66 use to cross the park,
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| Rt 66 Studebaker |
After that was a stop at Newspaper Rock. You will get the idea from the picture.
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| Newspaper Rock |
This next stop was a recommended hike The Teepees. Yeah I passed. But wow.
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| The Teepees |
Then there was a short stop at the 110 foot long petrified tree that is the Agate Bridge on Agate Mesa
Okay the next part was Jasper Forest. I followed the map that the ranger gave me. The map like the one mentioned above. I didn't even know what a culvert was till maybe the final mile it dawned on me. But I went down the trail and into the forest. It was really cool and I must say I never felt lost since I could see the overlook but I definitely felt like I was not on the "trail". But I made it to the Eagle Nest Rock a former erosional pillar of sandstone. It was a top attraction for the first 35 years of the park.
This final picture from this portion shows the entire area I walked across. Eagles Nest Rock is to the far left. I would have come across in a windy way from the right. The shot is from the overlook I used from down in Jasper Forest to tell where I was.
What a day!
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