The Petrified Forest is known for its fossils, especially fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic period about 225 million years ago. The sediments containing the fossil logs are part of the widespread and colourful Chinle Formation from which the Painted Desert gets its name.

In short trees fell down and sank in the swamp and by a complex chemical reaction, over a very long time, the cellulose in the wood was replaced cell by cell with quartz and other rock. Other plants and animals ended up the same.

Landscape in the Badlands.

Painted Desert.

Painted Desert

Petrified wood.

Tree Trunk.

Gold? No quartz.

Jen and tree

A whole bunch of wood.

Blue Mesa Badlands.

Petrified Raven.

Stoned Raven?

Early Critter Bones