Petrified Forest National Park is a protected area located in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona, United States. The park was established in 1906 and covers an area of approximately 93,533 acres. It is home to one of the largest and most extensive collections of petrified wood in the world, as well as a diverse array of other geological features, wildlife, and historical sites.
Petrified Forest National Park is famous for its petrified wood, which is ancient wood that has been turned to stone over millions of years through the process of permineralization. Visitors to the park can see the petrified wood in the form of large logs, smaller fragments, and colorful stones scattered throughout the park. There are several popular hiking trails that allow visitors to explore the park's petrified wood deposits and other geological features, including the Long Logs Trail, the Rainbow Forest Loop, and the Blue Mesa Loop.
In addition to its petrified wood deposits, Petrified Forest National Park is also home to a diverse array of other geological features, including painted desert badlands, mesas, canyons, and deserts. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including pronghorns, jackrabbits, and coyotes, as well as a rich bird population, including eagles, hawks, and falcons.
The park also has a rich cultural history, with evidence of human habitation dating back over 13,000 years. Visitors can see petroglyphs and other artifacts at several of the park's historical sites, including the Newspaper Rock Petroglyph Site and the Puerco Pueblo Archaeological Site.