Daily Daydream: Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected].

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

Although the names of the Painted Desert, Crystal Forest Trail, and Rainbow Forest seem straight out of a storybook, they’re real locations within the Petrified Forest National Park. Once you visit, it’s clear how these locations got their nicknames. This ancient park has lots to explore, but it’s most famous for the petrified wood. Walk along one of the many designated trails to see the logs, but resist temptation—it’s illegal to remove the petrified wood (even tiny pieces) from the park. Not a hiker? Take a horseback ride through the park.

Historians should be sure to stop at a viewing area for Newspaper Rock, which are boulders featuring more than 650 petroglyphs. Archeologists will love the Puerco Pueblo, thought to be over 600 years old,

Where is it? Northeastern Arizona. Fly to Phoenix International Airport (check prices).

Where to Stay? Backpack camping is allowed in designated areas, but for those who don’t want to rough it, try the recently renovated Globetrotter Lodge.

What Else Should I Know? Carefully check visiting hours before arriving—the park is open at different hours during different seasons, and note that the park is in an area that does not observe Daylight Savings.

Who’s it For? People who want to feel young.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.