Finding the Petrified Forest National Park closed due to the shutdown we had to revise our plans. We then drove down the road to Little Painted Desert at sunset and it was a real discovery, which made up for the morning's disappointment. The view from above of the dunes with different shapes and colors was truly evocative.. Little Painted Desert County Park is located about 25 minutes north of Winslow, Arizona, off Route 66. While there are few signs, using GPS or Google Maps is highly recommended for navigation.
Of all the magnificent natural wonders to see in Arizona, the Painted Desert is among the most underappreciated, mainly because there aren't many places to view it. Want to experience it for yourself? Grab your camera and click the maps above to head to either Petrified Forest National Park, Little Painted Desert County Park or Tuba City.. Overview Little Painted Desert is an abandoned county park 15 miles to the northeast of Winslow, Arizona. The former park preserved a plateau edge where steep colorful eroded badlands dropped 300 vertical feet down to a lower level.