The Petrified Forest National Monument in Namibia became a park in 1950 and dates back 260 million years. The 50 petrified trees that were in the park did not originate from this area but were carried to the area by floods. The guide pointed out a strange looking plant called Welwitschia, a plant that is actually considered a living fossil. Some of the plants live 1000 years and longer. The turn-off to the site of the Petrified Forest is signposted as 42km from Khorixas on the road C39.
We drove to Twyfelfontein where Bushmen rock art date back over 5000 years. Twyfelfontein is the largest known concentration of Stone Age petroglyphs in Namibia and there are around 2500 of them in the area. There were natural mountain springs that were a water source to these ancient people. The Bushmen of this day still use those springs. Much of the scenery resembles my home in Utah with the red cliffs and strange rock formations. The petroglyhs are very different, showing giraffe and other animals of this desert area.
This rock art site can be reached taking the following roads: C39 from Khorixas, turn left on the road 3254 and right on 3214. There are signs along the route.