After a conference in Arizona I spent a quick morning at the Petrified Forest. The Painted Desert is part of this National Park. I tried to get there early and photograph the sunrise but the park doesn't open until 7:00. I was frustrated at first because I arrived there at 6:00 am, but as I learned about the park I understood why. Most national parks don't have hours but the visiting centers do. This one was gated. The reason is because the

NPS

protects all of the petrified wood in the park and it's a federal crime to remove wood.