One of the compelling reasons to visit Grand Canyon National Park is its proximity to other amazing destinations. Any list of nearby natural wonders would include Zion Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Lake Powell National Recreation Area, Monument Valley Tribal Park, and Canyon de Chelley National Monument.
On the strength of a recent visit, a newcomer to this author’s recommendations would be Petrified Forest National Park. After spending a day or two with friends Denise and Brad Traver (Hit the Trail.com owner and park superintendent, respectively), I have a new-found appreciation for the dramatic geology, paleontology, cultural history, and sweeping vistas of this unique destination.
The petrified logs of yesteryear’s family vacation are just a part of the story; new fossil and archaeological discoveries and large new land acquisitions are just a few of the compelling reasons to give PEFO (as it’s called by insiders) another look. Visit their website at https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm.
