The Petrified Forest National Park in northeast Arizona recently finished upgrades to facilities near the park’s southern entrance, just off U.S. 180 southeast of Holbrook.
According to the Arizona Daily Sun, changes to Rainbow Forest Complex include new restroom facilities outside of the Rainbow Forest Museum and a demonstration fossil preparation laboratory in the museum.
Facility manager James Brown stated in a press release that the new restroom facilities will ease the burden on the museum’s aging plumbing. The project was funded by visitor fees.
The demonstration laboratory will allow visitors to observe fossil preparators at work and speak to them about ongoing research and recent discoveries within the park.
An accompanying art exhibit features works by paleoartist Douglas Henderson, showcasing the plants and animals of the Late Triassic Period.
The northern part of the park marks where Route 66 crossed many years ago. Though the roadbed of the now-century-old highway is long gone, you can discern a slight ground elevation where it was, plus a string of telephone poles that go off into the distance.
(Image of the Petrified Forest National Park by Jerry and Pat Donoho via Flickr)