The Painted Desert formed a barrier behind which the early Hopi people withdrew to establish their famed mesa-top villages, including Oraibi which has been continuously occupied since about 350 years before the discovery of America. These people still live in their several mesa-top villages, their reservation surrounded by that of the Navajo, their former enemies, who now lead a peaceful, semi-nomadic life.
There is much more to the fascinating story of the Petrified Forest as told to us by naturalists of the national monument. Few visitors take time from their mad rush to “get somewhere quickly” to make the effort to understand the intricate and devious ways of Nature, of which “Time is the essence,” resulting in the spectacular and brilliant display, this glittering jewel of the desert, the Petrified Forest. Stopping only long enough to marvel briefly, many of them feel the urge to take something with them, some concrete reminder of the colorful scene, some bits of petrified wood. Those who successfully “get past” the checking station ranger with their illicit souvenirs usually lose these trinkets, or find them turned to sharp goads which prod their consciences in later years. How fortunate those visitors who, at the expense of an hour or so of time, gain an understanding of what lies behind the scenery at the Petrified Forest, thereby developing an appreciation of the work of Nature and of God as exemplified here. These people take with them, not merely a souvenir, but an experience which they will treasure and enjoy throughout the remainder of their lives.
The Painted Desert from the Monument’s rim drive. Photo by Josef Muench.
A typical scene in Petrified Forest. National Park Service Photo.
Painted Desert from the Painted Desert Inn. Photo by Josef Muench.
Navajo National Monument. Deep in the heart of the Navajo country is an area of cliffs, canyons, and prehistoric ruins. One of the largest is Betatakin. Photo by Martin Litton.