Holbrook, Arizona: Petrified Forests, Pies, and Big Adventures

Our time in Holbrook, Arizona was one of those stretches on the road that was packed with adventure, food, laughter, and family memories we’ll treasure forever.

Petrified Forest National Park

We spent much time exploring Petrified Forest National Park with Patrick and Andrew, and wow—this place blew us away. It wasn’t just logs turned to stone scattered across the desert. The whole park was a journey through time and color.

The Painted Desert stretched out before us like a giant canvas, with bands of pinks, reds, and purples rolling across the hills. It looked almost unreal, like someone had taken a watercolor brush to the earth. Then there was the Blue Mesa hike, which was like stepping onto another planet. The striped blue and lavender badlands made us feel like we were walking through a dreamscape.

The story of the Petrified Forest goes way, way back. What’s now a desert was once a lush forest near the equator, filled with giant trees. Over millions of years, those trees fell, got buried, and slowly transformed into stone. The minerals that seeped in turned them into the colorful, crystal-like logs we see today. Walking the trails, it was wild to think these “rocks” were once towering trees that dinosaurs probably walked right past. Every glittering log felt like a little time capsule from a world that doesn’t exist anymore.

The Crystal Forest Trail brought that story to life, with logs glittering in the sun like gemstones. It’s incredible to think that these ancient trees have survived not just time, but also tectonic shifts, volcanism, and erosion, to be here still.

This is what they call Rainbow wood

And this was also where I started falling in love with Native American jewelry. Local artisans had beautiful pieces at the park entrances, and I couldn’t resist. Let’s say Arizona turned into a costly month for me—but hey, I look good in turquoise and silver, so worth it.

Mister Mastro’s and the Green Sauce in Holbrook, Arizona

One of the park guides told us to go to a local spot called Mr. Maestas and “try the green sauce.” No joke—we went four times while staying in Holbrook. It was that good. I had the Navajo taco (delicious), but the real surprise was the Sweetie Pies for dessert. I’m not even a pie person, but damn—they were amazing. If you ever find yourself in Holbrook, trust me: follow the green sauce.

We thought the front of this menu was funny.

Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon

We also road-tripped north to check off two bucket-list stops: Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Horseshoe Bend is this jaw-dropping meander of the Colorado River that looks like something carved for a movie backdrop. Antelope Canyon, with its swirling slot canyon walls carved by flash floods, felt like walking through a sculpture made of light. Learning about the Navajo guides who share their stories there added depth to the experience. Afterward, we grabbed food at a spot called the Bird House—basically chicken fingers and sauce heaven. Patrick doesn’t do sauce, so thankfully, Andrew was with me to appreciate just how good it was.

This was the view at Horseshoe Bend. It is a long way to the bottom.

This was inside the upper part of Antelope Canyon

Wupatki National Monument

We also stopped at Wupatki National Monument, timing it just right to catch the sunset. The ruins of the ancient pueblos glowed in the fading light, the red sandstone walls blending into the desert sky as it turned shades of gold and purple.

Wupatki was once a thriving center of trade and culture, connected to the larger Chaco Valley culture that spread throughout the Southwest. These people built complex communities, complete with multi-room dwellings and even ball courts, tied together through extensive trade networks. Standing among the remains while the sun dropped behind the horizon made the whole place feel timeless.

This was the view when we pulled up to Wupatki

Dinosaur Tracks (and Piper the Real MVP)

One afternoon, Patrick and Andrew got it in their heads that they had to go see some authentic dinosaur tracks nearby. So off they went, determined explorers, setting off on a mile-long trek under the desert sun. Meanwhile, Piper and I stayed in the car because, frankly, we were tired.

An hour later, the guys came back sweaty, frustrated, and empty-handed—no tracks, no Jurassic Park moment. Then Piper needed a potty break. We hop out of the car, and right there—literally where Piper chose to pee—were the dinosaur tracks they’d been searching for—perfect, clear-as-day footprints.

So, the final score? Piper and me: 1. Patrick and Andrew: 0. Turns out the best dinosaur tracker has four legs, a wagging tail, and impeccable timing.

Honestly not sure how Patrick and Andrew missed these.

The Grand Canyon (and the Beef Jerky Incident)

The Grand Canyon wasn’t originally on our Arizona plan (with Andrew)—Andrew really wanted to see it, so we made the trip south. What we weren’t expecting? To roll up and find two feet of snow covering the park. Most of the overlooks were closed, and the open parts looked nothing like the postcard-perfect dry canyon I had in my head.

As locals like to ask, did you see the giant hole in the earth?

After trudging around in the cold, we were starving, so we stopped at a small market inside the park for lunch. Patrick and Andrew went out to smoke while Piper and I waited in the rental car. That’s when things went sideways.

Andrew didn’t know that Piper’s nose is basically a superpower. She sniffed out his stash of beef jerky and inhaled it before anyone could stop her. Minutes later, she started gagging. I asked Patrick to get the dog out of the car quickly, but he just looked at me blankly, pretending he had no idea what I was talking about. Andrew rushed to help, but it was too late—Piper puked inside the car and outside.

And that’s when the chain reaction began. The sight and smell made Patrick and Andrew gag so hard they both started throwing up, too. As if that wasn’t enough, a raven swooped down, grabbed some of the puked-up jerky, and flew off like it was fine dining. That triggered round two of gagging from Patrick and Andrew. Meanwhile, I was just sitting there, totally over it, wondering how this had become my Grand Canyon experience.

Bearizona (aka The Bison Drill Sergeant Episode)

Andrew also wanted to visit Bearizona, a drive-through wildlife park. Patrick hates these kinds of things, but I loved it. Naturally, I got stuck driving. At one point, a herd of bison stepped directly in front of the car and just… stopped. Patrick immediately turned into a drill sergeant, barking orders at me, while I stared straight ahead, imagining our rental car becoming the next viral YouTube clip.

Andrew and I locked eyes with one particularly stubborn bison, silently praying it wouldn’t ram us. The standoff lasted forever until, finally, a Bearizona worker backed up their truck, which somehow got the herd to move along. Without them, I think we’d still be sitting there, locked in that staring contest.

No thank you.

“Take It Easy” in Winslow

Patrick and Andrew also made a stop in Winslow, Arizona, to take a picture at the famous “Take It Easy” corner from that damn Eagles song. Now, full disclosure: I hate the Eagles. Can’t stand them. If I never hear “Take It Easy” again, it’ll be too soon. Patrick, on the other hand, loves that song—it’s basically his desert road trip anthem.

So while I happily used “work” as an excuse to skip that stop, Patrick was in heaven humming his way through Winslow. I must say, he did at least get a cool shot out of it—but don’t tell him I admitted that.

I will say they did a great job with this corner.

Monument Valley Adventures

The two brothers also ventured out to Monument Valley, where they explored the dramatic mesas and buttes. They ended up on rugged Navajo roads, turning it into a true adventure—precisely the kind of off-the-map exploration that makes memories stick.

Our time in Holbrook was unforgettable—not just because of the petrified wood, the pies, or the canyons, but because Andrew was there with us. We packed so much into those days: hikes, laughs, food runs, epic views, and even a few stomach-churning misadventures. After Holbrook, Andrew was no longer traveling with us, and that made this chapter bittersweet. But looking back, it was such a gift to share all of these experiences together.