Journey to Petrified Forest National Park

By Ryley Rasmussen
General Info:

Destination: Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Participants: 3, Ryley Rasmussen, Cristopher DiSclafani. Quentin Foyel Bracci

Activities: Road Trip, Back Country Camping, Back Country Backpacking

When: Spring Break 2020 March 14-20

Leader: Ryley Rasmussen (WFR Certified)

Driving Distance: 4,348 miles

Travel Information:
Drivers:
Ryley Rasmussen
Christopher DiSclafani

Estimated Driving Time: 65 hours

See directions on back

Addresses:

- 1 Park Rd, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028 (Painted Desert Inn t.
Northern end of park)
- 6618 Petrified Forest Rd, Holbrook, AZ 86025 (Furthest destination at
southern end of park)
- N 34º55’50.1” W 109º45’37.4” (Red Basin Clam Beds)
- N 35º5’01.3” W 109º47’20.4” (Onyx Bridge)
- N 34º56’34.9” W 109º46’39.8” (Blue Forest Trail)
- N 34º53’18.8” W 109º48’25.6” (Jasper Forest Trail
Trip Vision:

Trip Descripition: Me and a couple buddies want to take a road trip outwest so
that we can drive through Petrified Forest National Park to the southern entrance.
From there we will spend 3 days and 2 nights backpacking and camping in the
painted forest while branching off and exploring the vast wilderness area.

Trip Goals:
- Follow LNT principles
- Leave the desert with water to spare
- Complete all planned trails
- Learn about local flora and fauna
Plan to Complete Goals: We plan on packing gear to make sure we can
dispose of watse properly according to park standards. Plan on using a water
reservoir to pack in all the water we need (approximently 1 gallon a day per
person). We also plan to stop at visitor centers to learn about the local wildlife
and how we not disturb or impact the desert. Planning our routes and trails
efficently to complete all intended routes.
Trip Behaviors:
- Respect yourself
- Respect eachother and others
- Respect nature
- Do not push pass what anyone is comfortable
- Make it fun
Gear/Budget/Meal Plan:

Team Gear:
- Tent
- Water Reservior 10 liter
- Stove
- Fuel 20 fl. Oz.
- Food
- Toilet Paper
- Shovel
- Med Kit
- Emergency Phone/Beacon
Individual Gear:
- Clothes:
- Tops: Heavy Coat, Medium sweater, synthentic underlayer, cotton travel
clothes such as t shirts
- Bottoms: Sythentic hiking pants, sythentic thermel underlayer, jeans or
sweats for travel
- Feet: Wool socks, hiking boots
- Backpack 40L
- Head lamp
- Sleeping Bag/Pad
- Bowl, cup, utensils
- Map and compass
- Water Bottle 2 2 liter
- Hygeine Supplies: Tooth paste, tooth brush,
- Personel Medicine
Meal Plan:
o Day1-2 Traveling so Budget money to buy food along the way
o Day 3 Lunch and Dinner
 Lunch Wraps Turkey Ham and chees
 Dinner Mac and Cheese
o Day 4 Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
 Breakfast Oatmeal
 Lunch Wraps PB J Pepperoni
 Dinner Pasta with soy sauce
o Day 5 Breakfast and lunch, should be on road before dinner
o Day 6-8 Plan on eating left overs and buying food on way home
 Grocery List
 2 packs of wraps
 1lb turkey
 1lb ham
 5 Boxes of max and cheese
 Box of oatmeal packs
 1 jar Peanut Butter
 1 jar of jelly
 Box of pasta
 Soy sauce
 1 Package of pepperoni
- Food will be repackaged and kept in coolers in between day trips so we will not
have to carry both sets of meals as we will be returning to the car.

Budget:
Item Cost to Buy/Rent

Tent Owned

Water Reservior 10L $40 Buy

Stove $5 Rent OP

Fuel $3 Rent OP

Camp Food $24 Per Person at $3

a meal means
$72 Total
Travel Food $10-$20 a day per
person 3-4 days travel
Toilet Paper $5 Buy

Shovel $5 Buy

Medkit Owned
 Trail Details:
Travel Agenda:
- March 14 leave from West Campus Apartments at 4am and drive
aprproximently 16 hrs to arrive approximently 8:30pm Fort Leonard
Woods to car camp for 6-8 hrs of sleep.
- March 15 leave 4am drive the rest of the way to painted desert inn, approx
16 hours to hike into wilderness area (onyx bridge trail) to camp first night.
- March 16 hike out back to arrive at car by 8am. (yellow time 4pm, red time
6am next day) Get to parking lot at 8am than drive down road to complete
other trails planned until reaching last one (Red Basin Clam Beds), Camp
in wilderness area.
- March 17th Hike out back to car arriving approximently 10am (yellow time
5pm, red time 8am march 18th)
- Next two days driving back to West Campus.

Risk Management
- Back country so there will be little to no cell service, Ryley is certified WFR
and will be able to tend to some injuries not all. Serious injuries will result
in immediate turn around as only Ryley is WFR.
- No water source so we need to carry all of our water in water bottles and
hydrodrum.
- Animals such as rattlesnakes, bobcats, coyotes, etc may pose threat. Do
not approach wildlife, do not have food in tent.
- Weather such as extreme cold, heat, lightning flash floods, and
windstorms are all possible. Avoid river beds, and low ground during rain.
Avoid high areas during thunders storms.
- Permits: Before we enter the park we must obtain a permit from the visitor
center in person. This permit is for camping anywhere where camping is
permited in park. The permit is free,
Trails Planned:
- Onyx Bridge (https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/OTBP_Onyx-
Bridge_2018small.pdf) 4 miles

- Jasper Forest Trail (https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/OTBP_Jasper-

Forest_2018small.pdf) 2.5 miles
 - Blue Forest Trail (https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/OTBP_Blue-
Forest_2018small.pdf) 3 miles

- Red Basin Clam Beds (https://www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/OTBP_Red-

Basin-Clam-Beds_2018small.pdf) 8.5 miles