For 100 years, the National Park Service has preserved America’s special places “for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Celebrate its second century with the Find Your Park GeoTour that launched April 2016 and explore these geocaches placed for you by National Park Service Rangers and their partners.
geocaching.com/play/geotours/findyourpark
Petrified Forest National Park is the only National Park that contains a segment of Route 66. Historically Route 66 brought visitors along the rim of the scenic Painted Desert. This cache is on the road bed of the original park rim road near the original park entrance from Route 66. Photos in the box show the original park sign and the entrance station that once stood near this spot.
This segment was bypassed by the current I-40 in the late 1950s and the pavement removed shortly afterwards.
Please note this is a take only cache. Please bring a pen and sign the log. You do not need to leave any items in the cache. Please respect the rules and regulations of the park and the resources it was established to protect.
This is a Federal Fee Area and an entrance fee to Petrified Forest National Park (currently $20/ vehicle) is required to access this cache. This cache is only accessible during park operating hours.
To avoid being ticketed by park law enforcement please follow these rules to find this cache. The desert vegetation is prickly and close toed shoes are recommended. In warmer months poisonous snakes and insects could be present. Please do not remove any "garbage" from this route. The cans, bottles, rock, etc... along the trail date from Route 66 times and are considered to be historic. Removal or disturbance of these objects will result in a fine.
1) Parking. You must park in the Tiponi Point pull-out.
N35 04.327' W109 46.784'
Parking along the main road is unsafe at this spot and not allowed. The park administrative road close to this spot is also not open to the public. Using this road or parking on the main road could result in a fine.
2) Walk out to the juniper tree (.1 mile) to the east at:
N35 04.338' W 109 46.677'
You are on the old rim drive, the depression in front of you is the old road bed.
A depression to your north is an even older road trace, possibly part of the Beale Wagon Road.
3) Hike (.05 mile) to the following spot:
N35 04.351' W109 46.625'
You should see the old road clearly now. Raised and marked with dark gravel and remnants of asphalt.
4) Hike (.07 mile) to the cache site at the main coordinates following the old road bed. The cache is on the road.
The old Route 66 road is visible to the east and is now used for park administration.
Enjoy the view of the Painted Desert to the west!