Welcome to Travel Tuesday! I’m starting off the year with another trail in Arizona — the Crystal Forest Trail!
Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest National Park
Distance: 0.9 miles (loop)
Elevation: 36 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: <30 minutes
Trailhead Address: Petrified Forest Rd, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028
Parking: Lot available ($25 for admission into park, or free with annual interagency pass)
There isn’t much shade on this hike after the sun shelter at the very beginning, but it’s short, so lather up the SPF and put on a hat and you should be good!
The Crystal Forest Trail is named this because the trees were once covered in quartz + amethyst crystals that developed in the wood as the trees petrified. Unfortunately, many of the logs were blasted away by people plundering the crystals. Petrified Forest National Park (once a national monument) was established to protect the remaining petrified wood.
The trail is a loop — we decided to go right first, which gives way to lots of colorful petrified logs and chunks of wood.
As you continue on the trail, you’ll be able to see the blue-purple Blue Mesa formation in the distance (I’ll be writing about that next week!).
It’s probably best to hike this trail either early in the morning or in late afternoon, especially in the summer. Part of this is due to the heat, but also because of the way the sun falls onto the fossilized trees + crystallized wood!
Please note that removal of the petrified wood or any other materials is against the law.
People who’ve taken petrified wood from the park found a string of bad luck following them everywhere.
- What did you first think of when you heard “crystal forest?”
- Have you ever been to Petrified Forest National Park?
22 comments
Skip to comment form
Thanks for the beautiful pictures! I haven’t been there for a very long time. It’s a beautiful a ever! L,ove your T-shirt!
I love it too! ;P (Thank you! <3)
It was such a pretty place to visit!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
I was there as a kid, but would love to return! Definitely will NOT take a rock!
It’d be cool to see what it looks like in different seasons! And agreed on the rocks!!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
Wish we had more time to do the Crystal Forest Trail. Next time! The pics looked great
Thank you! I hope you get to go back sometime! :]
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
So cool! I’ve been looking for local destinations since we can’t travel internationally.
I’ve been trying to do that too! Hopefully planning on going camping sometime soon!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
This is a place I never heard of! Thank you for putting it on my radar!
I didn’t really know much about it until I was planning my roadtrip and saw that it could be made into an “on the way” destination! :]
The petrified tree stumps are gorgeous, I never knew this place existed so I am happy for this post! You took some lovely photos!
Thanks so much! :]
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
Oh wow I have never seen anything like this before! It’s good to know that people aren’t allowed to take pieces of it home with them.
Agreed! Hopefully after all the spells of bad luck people got after taking em’, it discourages others from doing so!!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
This place looks out of this world! I’ve never seen such a landscape before :D
Doesn’t it?! It was really cool getting to walk along all that petrified wood!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
So interesting – you can really tell it is petrified wood. I have been to places where you couldn’t quite tell. Very well preserved!
It was so cool to see! :]
What a beautiful national park! The petrified wood looks so pretty and colourful! It looks like such a fascinating place and a beautiful trail. Thanks for sharing this guide!
It was all so colorful! (Not sure what I was expecting when I went but it was really cool to see! :P ) Fun place to explore. :]
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021
Woooah those giant logs would be impressive as wood, they are amazing as petrified wood. They really must have looked incredible when they were covered in amethyst crystals. It is such a shame they were removed over the years…
Josy A recently posted…Miller & Eva Lakes – Mt Revelstoke National Park
“This is why we can’t have nice things” definitely popped into my mind when I found that out. :[ I’m glad this park exists now to preserve all this natural beauty though! <3
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: February 2021