Safe Travels

In this episode of the Safe Travels Podcast, I’m joined by Bill Parker, Chief of Resources and Park Historian at Petrified Forest National Park, for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the historical and logistical forces that have shaped one of America’s most iconic desert landscapes.

Bill takes us beyond the park’s famous petrified wood and into the human stories tied to Route 66, early automobile tourism, and the rise of roadside Americana in northern Arizona. We dive into how Holbrook, Arizona helped inspire Pixar’s Radiator Springs, the significance of the historic REO Mountaineer, and why Petrified Forest remains one of the few national parks where Route 66 still runs directly through protected land.

As Chief of Resources, Bill also explains the real-world challenges of preservation—from decades of petrified wood theft to the long-term impacts of highways, railroads, and modern transportation corridors on fragile cultural and natural resources. This episode offers a rare look at how infrastructure, tourism, and conservation intersect inside the National Park Service.

Bill is an institution at Petrified Forest National Park, I'm grateful that he joined the podcast! 
______________
Follow us on social!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safetravelspod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@safetravelspod
YouTube: youtube.com/@safetravelspod
Safetravelspod.com 

Creators and Guests

Host
Joey Liberatore

What is Safe Travels?

Safe Travels explores National Parks and wild places through in-depth conversations with the people who know them best - park rangers, scientists, biologists, geologists, archaeologists, and conservationists.

Each episode goes beyond travel tips to uncover the science, history, wildlife, and conservation stories that bring these landscapes to life.

Hosted by Joey Liberatore, Safe Travels Pod turns expert insight into engaging, accessible conversations - helping listeners experience public lands with deeper understanding and appreciation.