Take a Hike: Petrified Forest National Park
This unearthly landscape is awaiting your exploration
In this geological wonder, “deposits of colorful petrified wood litter the vivid ‘badlands’,” writes Nick Thomas in his monthly “Take a Hike” series. Learn about the unearthly landscape of Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona and why it’s a great destination for the Boomer reader.
Stretching to almost 200,000 acres in northeastern Arizona, roughly midway between Phoenix and Albuquerque, Petrified Forest National Park is a geological wonder where deposits of colorful petrified wood litter the vivid “badlands” landscape.
Arriving via the north entrance from I-40, our first stop was the Painted Desert viewing area to admire the vibrant terrain comprising red, orange, and brown layers of sandstone and mudstone deposited some 200 million years ago and shaped by erosion over time.
Eager to get on foot, we drove south along Petrified Wood Road to Blue Mesa Scenic Road where one of the best short hikes in the park awaited: the Blue Mesa Trail. Although the return path is a little steep, the walkway is mostly paved along a 1-mile loop as it descends 120 feet into a valley offering spectacular eye-level views of the blueish-streaked badland’s hills composed of bentonite clay.
The mineral readily absorbs moisture during rains, then cracks when dry to produce its characteristic “elephant skin” appearance while taking on distinctive hues of blue, purple, or grey. Along the path, pieces of petrified wood are scattered across the terrain and range in size from pebbles to gigantic chunks. It’s a fascinating walk, but be prepared for windy weather some days and, in the warmer months, brutally hot sunshine with no shade.
Returning to Petrified Wood Road, we encountered more of the park’s namesake material close up along the 0.75-mile Crystal Forest Trail loop, which is also paved but not as steep as the Blue Mesa. Thousands of petrified wood fragments dot the panoramic landscape, including massive logs that were once trees in an ancient forest that became petrified – literally turned into stone – when the trunks were buried by sediment. Over time, the organic plant material was replaced by minerals such as silica and calcite.
When observing these mineralized trees, visitors should take a moment to reflect on what they’re actually witnessing – the fossilized remains of trees from lush forests that thrived millions of years ago during the Late Triassic Epoch which, in the geologic time scale, preceded the more popularly known Jurassic period. And yes, the park has provided paleontologists with a wealth of dinosaur fossils, too.
“It’s hard to compare the Triassic Forest with anything modern because angiosperms (modern-day flowering trees and shrubs) did not yet exist back then,” Steven Semken, Professor of Geology and Education at the Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration told me. “The process by which petrified wood forms is called permineralization, and at Petrified Forest it likely would have been facilitated by elevated levels of silica in sediments derived from volcanic ash.”
This fossilized wood eventually took on vibrant colors due to the absorption of groundwater minerals such as iron and manganese. But don’t be tempted to pick up a small piece for anything other than on-site examination since it’s illegal to remove any natural or archaeological material – animal, vegetable, or mineral – from a national park. Local stores sell petrified wood sourced from outside the park grounds.
Petrified Forest National Park has more to offer its 650,000 annual visitors, including other trails, archeological sites (pueblo ruins), ancient rock art carvings (petroglyphs), and the Painted Desert Inn – a roadside hotel constructed more than 100 years ago and a National Historic Landmark. Although no longer serving as an overnight rest stop, a charming ice cream parlor is open during the summer months – a cool spot for weary travelers seeking a brief escape from the desert heat.
Visit Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona
FEATURED PHOTO, TOP: Massive slabs of petrified wood in the Crystal Forest at Petrified Forest National Park. Photo by Nick Thomas.
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines, including Boomer. His “Take a Hike!” column describes short trails, hikes, and walks from around the country that older adults might enjoy while traveling. See ItsAWonderfulHike.com.
