Painted desert landscape #1
by Jeff Swan
Title
Painted desert landscape #1
Artist
Jeff Swan
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
to search
For other uses, see Painted Desert (disambiguation).
Painted Desert
Relief map showing arc-shaped desert north and northeast of Mogollon Plateau and Mogollon Rim.
Length
160 miles
Area
93500 acres
Naming
Native name
El Desierto Pintado
Geography
Country
United States
State
Arizona
Borders on
Little Colorado and Puerco rivers
Coordinates
35°30′01″N 110°05′02″W
Coordinates: 35°30′01″N 110°05′02″W
[1]
The Painted Desert is a United States desert of badlands in the Four Corners area[2] running from near the east end of Grand Canyon National Park and southeast into Petrified Forest National Park. It is most easily accessed in the north portion of Petrified Forest National Park. The Painted Desert is known for its brilliant and varied colors, that not only include the more common red rock, but even shades of lavender.
The Painted Desert was named by an expedition under Francisco Vázquez de Coronado on his 1540 quest to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which he located some 40 miles east of Petrified Forest National Park. Finding the cities were not made of gold, Coronado sent an expedition to find the Colorado River to resupply him. Passing through the wonderland of colors, they named the area El Desierto Pintado ("The Painted Desert").[3]
Much of the Painted Desert within Petrified Forest National Park is protected as Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area, where motorized travel is limited.[4] Nonetheless, the park offers both easy and longer hikes into the colored hills. The Painted Desert continues north into the Navajo Nation, where off-road travel is allowed by permit.
Uploaded
July 24th, 2019
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