Petrified wood itself is the product of permineralization. Essentially it is fossilized vegetation where wood literally turns into stone. All of the organic materials of the tree itself become typically silicate. At the same time the tree rings and the structure of the log remains intact while the process itself might take 1,000 years to fossilize.
Entrances to the park are in two places. The northern access to the scenic drive is at Exit 311 on Interstate 40, 25 miles east of Holbrook Arizona. The southern access is 19 miles west of Holbrook on U.S. 180. Trails in Petrified Forest National Park can be found along this twenty-eight mile scenic drive.The park has scenic drive maps free of charge that will show you the trail heads and other interesting places to stop at along the way.
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| Fossilized wood |
The Crystal Forest Trail is three-quarters of a mile in length and is paved. On this short hike you'll view some of the bigger and more colorful logs. The trail takes you through a dense portion of colorful petrified wood. Woodpiles are scattered along rolling grasslands and emerging badland formations. Unfortunately, over the decades, beginning in the 1890's, mineral seekers took off a lot of the crystal logs. They were known to blast the logs and get the gems from them in pieces. This is a short yet very fun and educational trail which presents an easy hike.
Giant Logs
You;ll find this trail near the southern entrance to the park. Giant Logs Trail is found directly behind the Rainbow Forest Museum and features some of the largest and most colorful logs in the park. "Old Faithful", at the top of the trail, is almost ten feet wide at it's base. The Rainbow Museum schedule ranger talks. You'll find a schedule inside that denotes the times and subject matter. In addition, the Rainbow Forest Museum offers displays showing Triassic plants and animals in their original habitat. Giant Logs self guided hiking tour booklets are available inside the museum. The museum also features an interesting and well stocked book store.
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| Giants Logs Trail |
The Long Logs hiking trail is also found behind the Rainbow Forest Museum. It's length is 1.2 mile loop. The first half-mile of trail is paved. The trail passes by log piles and badlands. The Long Logs Trail takes you past some of the most spectacular exhibits in the Petrified Forest. You'll find some of the logs are more than 100 feet long. All of them are piled in a large logjam. Some lie criss-crossed on top of each other.
Agate House Trail
The start of this Petrified Forest National Park trail is at the same place as the Long Logs Trail, behind the Rainbow Forest Museum. It is a 1.2 mile loop trail. The Agate House itself is a partial reconstruction of an Indian pueblo originally built about 1,000 years ago. The structure was reconstructed in the 1930's. The Agate House has the distinction of being built entirely by petrified wood and mud mortar. It's a structure you'll see nowhere else. The structure contained eight rooms. The ancestors of the modern Pueblo people employed petrified wood for a many purposes. These included for tools such as projectile points, knives, and scrapers.
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| Rainbow Forest Museum |
The mile long Blue Mesa Trail is in the Petrified Forest National Park and leads you down into the Painted Desert. On this Arizona hike you'll view cone shaped hills in a variety of colors. The trail starts at the top of the mesa and descends below the rim from there into the badlands. The badlands are composed of water deposited layers of volcanic ash which is , interbedded with thin layers of shale, sandstone, and river gravel.
The Blue Mesa Trail is rated moderately strenuous which may be one reason it's not hiked as much as other trails. Consequently you'll be free of the crowds found during the summer at some of the other trail sites.
Following are two additional Arizona links on our Western Trips site you'll find interesting. They are;
Homolovi Ruins Arizona State Park
Historic Downtown Flagstaff Arizona
You may also enjoy Mountain Bike Trails in the West and Types of Mountain Bikes
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| Teepee Rocks at Petrified Forest |
The Painted Desert stretches from the Grand Canyon east to the Petrified Forest National Park. This is one of the reasons that this national park stop is quite unique. You might find this travel stop as being two parks in one. The Painted Desert received it's name from the beautiful colors you'll view there. To the south at Petrified Forest National Park you'll see the amazing petrified wood which at one time comprised a tall forest.
The Painted Desert is comprised of shale, mudtone and siltstone. The Petrified Forest features the product of fossilization. The twenty-eight mile scenic drive from north to south lets you view and explore both of these geologic processes. The Painted Desert Visitors Center is located on the north end just north of Interstate 40 at exit 311 and about 25 miles east of Holbrook Arizona.
These sites are a great addition to your Arizona vacation planner and are very easy to reach by car.
9Photos from author's private collection)
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