The trail travels along the canyon rim and includes several information panels about the wildlife, geology, and ancient people of the region. Approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) after the northern park entrance is the pull-off for Tawa Point, where the Painted Desert Rim Trail begins. The Painted Desert Rim Trail has remarkable views of the Painted Desert. The visitors center is adjacent to a restaurant, gift shop, and gas station restrooms are available. A free film about the park is shown continuously throughout the day. Less than 0.5 mile (0.8 km) from the I-40 exit is the Painted Desert Visitor Center (8am-5pm daily), which houses a bookstore, hands-on petrified wood exhibits, and park information and services. Driving Tour Painted Desert Visitor Center There are no camping facilities or overnight parking allowed in the park. Tiponi, Tawa, and Kachina Points feature overlooks with panoramic views, all located less than 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the Painted Desert Visitor Center. It takes at least 45 minutes to drive the 28-mile (45-km) road through the park, but to truly experience it try to allow at least a couple of hours to drive Blue Mesa Road, take a hike, and stop at the spectacular viewpoints along the way. The southern section of the park contains the Petrified Forest with historic structures, archaeological sites, and fossils that date back more than 200 million years. The northern section of the park encompasses the Painted Desert-approximately 146 square miles (378 sq km) of badlands and multihued mesas of stratified layers of mudstone, shale, and siltstone pigmented by iron and magnesium deposits. Take in the unique views in Arizona’s Painted Desert. It is also the only national park in the United States that protects a portion of Route 66. The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park has the world’s largest and most colorful collection of petrified wood.
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