Arizona, USA – July 2017
The “Painted Desert” lies at about 1,800 meters above sea level on the Colorado Plateau and stretches in an arc over about 250 kilometers. It consists of a variety of colored sediment layers, which are exposed by erosion. As if drawn by a ruler, the color stripes run through the various rock formations.
“The Tepees” remind in their form of the tents of the prairie Indians. They show very clearly the different layers of rock.
The “Blue Mesa” consists of rounded hills which are predominantly blue-gray and white.
The “Petrified Forest” is an extensive area with sites of silicified wood. In some areas the landscape is covered with broken tree trunks. As this wood was very popular for jewelry and was exploited, some sites were placed under protection in 1906. In the meantime, this protected area has become a national park whose area has been extended several times.