Law Enforcement Ranger Ross Templeton and Pintado stand against the backdrop of the Painted Desert Wilderness at Petrified Forest National Park. More than 50,000 acres of the park are officially designated wilderness, meaning no roads or motorized vehicles. In their absence, the horses of the park’s Mounted Patrol allow rangers easier access to remote areas. Day riding and overnight horse camping are allowed in the park, as long as feed for the four-legged visitors is certified as weed-free. The park will begin operating on its winter schedule on Sunday, Oct. 23. The park will open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. (MST). The Painted Desert Visitor Center and the Rainbow Forest Museum will operate on the same schedule. The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Winter hours will continue into February 2012.