Badlands of the Painted Desert

In addition to the trees, Petrified Forest NP contains badlands eroded by millions of years of wind, rain, and freezing temperatures into fantastic shapes with gaudy colors. The wind was certainly at work today...temp in the 40s, wind in the 30s. There are numerous hiking trails in the park, but it was just too cold and windy to do much. We California sloats aren't used to that weather! Our Alaskan brethren would think nothing of it, but the Cali sloats are a little wussy, I'm afraid.

There's not much water here, but when it does flow, it leaves its mark.