Chinde Mesa
In the far north section of the park, inside the designated Wilderness Area, is Chinde Mesa, which stands at 6,004 feet.
Plan Around Chinde Mesa
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Chinde Mesa Details
In the far north section of the park, inside the designated Wilderness Area, is Chinde Mesa, which stands at 6,004 feet. The geological basis for much of the Painted Desert portion of Petrified National Forest is called the Chinle Formation, which was deposited over 200 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period. The hills of the badlands, the mesas and the buttes are mainly composed of different colored layers of this rock, and the formation is further divided to include, from oldest to youngest, the Mesa Redondo Member, the Blue Mesa Member, the Sonsela Member, the Petrified Forest Member and the Owl Rock Member. This final member, approximately 205 million years old, is exposed in the pinkish-orange sandstones of Chinde Mesa.
Difficulty
Low
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N/A
Estimated time
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Nearby Parks Around Chinde Mesa
Compare nearby parks around Chinde Mesa when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Chinde Mesa
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Chinde Mesa while the map context is still fresh.
1.5 mi away
The Painted Desert
The Painted Desert's remarkable geology dates to the Late Triassic Period, over 200 million years ago.
4.1 mi away
Pilot Rock
To reach Pilot Rock, the highest point in Petrified Forest National Park, visitors must hike seven miles across the Painted Desert.
4.2 mi away
Digger Wash
Digger Wash runs through the northwest portion of the park.
4.3 mi away
The Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wilderness region in the park's northern unit, and is home to badlands, eroded rock formations and a fair bit of petrified wood.
4.3 mi away
Onyx Bridge Hike
The 4-mile roundtrip Onyx Bridge Trail offers a dramatic example of petrified wood eroding out of the Black Forest Bed within the Chinle Formation.
