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Painting By Numbers In The Desert

photo of the week for Sunday, 2012, March 18
Photographer: Kurt Repanshek

It's hard to get a bad photo of the Painted Desert in Petrified Forest National Park. To get a great photo, however, you'd be wise to study the light patterns as the sun moves across the sky, the various vantage points that exist along the park road, and employ patience.

On the Web: www.nps.gov/pefo

Comments

Submitted by Siddhartha Joshi (not verified) on April 1, 2012 - 7:42pm.

Wow...this is such a beautiful image! I love the place and am now extremely kicked about visiting it...and hopefully I will!

Submitted by Lee Dalton on April 4, 2012 - 7:24am.

Once many years ago, I flew out of Flagstaff on the way to somewhere for NPS training. We left just at sunrise and flew over PEFO. It was one of the most incredible things I ever saw. But no camera was handy. Thanks for sharing that, Kurt.

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 4, 2012 - 7:26am.

That must have been spectacular, Lee. Sounds like you need to make a roadtrip to the park!

Submitted by Lee Dalton on April 4, 2012 - 7:29am.

I have been there on the ground many times. Last time was about three years ago. I'm not sure if it was faulty memory or not, but it certainly seemed there was less petrified wood lying around.

Why could that be the case? Do you think it just dissolves in the heavy rain --- or could it be something even worse?

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 4, 2012 - 7:32am.

I have no previous experience to compare my recent visit to, but rangers tell me there's no real decline in the wood there. And I plan to touch on that in an upcoming story...

Submitted by Lee Dalton on April 4, 2012 - 7:50am.

That's good to hear.