The Devil's Playground - Petrified Forest National Park

On September 18th, I secured a permit for hiking in the Devil's Playground in the Painted Desert at Petrified Forest National Park. Only 3 permits are given out each week. At the trailhead, NPS posts provide the direction for the trek across the desert to the Devil's Playground. Once at the Devil's Playground there is no formal trail system. You just go where you want to explore. I did an 8 mile, 5 hour hike. I was the only person out there too. Loved the solitude.

Hiking off trail is always exciting, with unique challenges, dangers, and added benefits.  Foremost, I have to make sure I don't get lost. I always bring a compass, and my Garmin InReach Explorer so I can track my route. If the Garmin fails, I have my compass as backup. Additionally, I always make a mental note of where I have been. The health benefits are enormous too. You get peace and solitude, and finding a route is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. How does my chosen path fit into this big crazy landscape? It's a great cerebral workout of memory, and attention. It also nearly eliminates my OCD that often runs in the background of my mind. Those unwanted distractions are replaced by the challenging terrain and the stark beauty of eroded badlands.

The route I hiked.