Petrified Forest National Park: Crystal Forest Trail (Blog Hike #194)

Trail: Crystal Forest Trail

Hike Location: Petrified Forest National Park

Geographic Location: east of Holbrook, AZ (34.86387, -109.79197)

Length: 0.8 miles

Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2006

Overview: A flat, easy trail passing attractive and interesting petrified wood.

Park Information: http://www.nps.gov/pefo/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=720476
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: In northern Arizona, take I-40 to Petrified Forest National Park (exit 311).  Exit and go north to enter the park, paying the park entrance fee.  Follow the park road for nearly 20 miles to the signed Crystal Forest parking area, stopping to see some of the other sights along this scenic road.  The trail departs from the Crystal Forest parking area.

The hike: For some general comments on Petrified Forest National Park, see the previous hike.  While the northern part of the park features spectacular views of the Painted Desert, the southern part of the park features a very different kind of scenery.  The long rim and large basin are replaced by small, colorful buttes that stick up out of the pale yellow desert ground.  Also, the spectacular views are replaced by colorful pieces of petrified wood, some large and some small, scattered all along the ground.  In fact, the southern part of the park contains the nation’s largest protected collection of petrified wood.  It is this collection that is featured on this short paved trail.

Badlands formation near trailhead

            The blacktop trail departs the parking area, curves slightly to the left, and heads uphill toward a small shelter that contains a few benches.  Here the trail forks to form its loop.  For no reason, I chose to hike this trail counterclockwise, turning right here and using the left trail as the return route.

The trail meanders uphill through the “forest” of petrified wood which completely surrounds the trail.  Petrified wood literally means “wood turned to stone.”  The petrified wood seen here today represent ancient trees in which, through complex natural geologic processes have had their wood particles replaced by stone particles.  Most of the pieces of petrified wood are small, measuring only a few inches in length and diameter.  However, you will soon pass the first of several petrified logs which lay lengthwise along the trail.  These logs are over a foot in diameter and 20-50 feet in length.  Many of the logs have broken into log pieces as if a giant “stone” lumberjack has been at work.  Take your time and examine each piece of petrified wood carefully, as each one has a distinct color pattern caused by the different kinds of rock.  Remember that removing petrified wood from the park, even small pieces, is illegal and punishable by a large fine and jail time.  Park rangers regularly conduct searches at park exits, so be sure to observe these laws.

Petrified log on Crystal Forest Trail

Petrified log on Crystal Forest Trail

            The trail soon reaches its highest point where it takes a sharp turn left, still heading away from the parking lot.  On the late spring afternoon I hiked this trail, winds from a nearby thunderstorm were gusting and nearly blew me over on this small ridgetop.  At 0.4 miles, the trail curves left to drop down off of this ridge, still surrounded by petrified wood. 

Now heading back toward the parking area, the trail moves gently up and down, left and right, passing some of the largest logs on the trail.  At 0.75 miles, the trail returns to the shelter to close the loop.  50 downhill yards remain to return you to the parking area and complete the hike.