Petrified Forest National Park is one of my favorite USA parks. Recently I discussed how the beautiful Painted Desert is manifest within the park. Today I’d like to focus on the Petrified Forest itself.
The park is aptly named for its large deposits of petrified — that is to say fossilized — wood. The fallen petrified trees are thought to come from the late Triassic period, estimated at about 225 million years of age. Most of the fossilized trees are extinct species, especially conifers.
(Fragments of petrified logs become exposed by the erosion of the soft stone within the park)
During the petrification process the logs retain their external appearance, but their internal structure is lost and replaced by minerals. These trees are thought to have fallen into water and became buried by sediment so quickly that it did not decay, instead allowing time for sediments (especially silicon dioxide) to become deposited within the trees, forming the fossilized logs we see today. The major petrified wood deposits are found in the southern end of the park.
The colors of the trees’ interiors is quite variable and I think lovely. Take a look at these examples:
There are a number of established trails that take you through the landscape which let you study and enjoy these fossilized trees. My favorite is the Crystal Forest Trail, an easy 0.8 mile loop, where I took many of these photos.
As you might expect other fossils are also found in the park but are less well known than the extensive deposits of trees. These include fossilized dinosaurs, amphibians, snails, clams and crayfish.
Visiting the Petrified Forest is easy if you’re traveling across the southern states on the interstate freeway system, and I think it’s one of the most interesting landscapes anywhere. A very recommended destination, especially for families traveling with children.
