The Petrified Forest in Arizona, a masterpiece of nature in the heart of America

There is a spectacular and truly unique chromatic panorama located within the Petrified Forest National Park. This is where the forces of nature meet to sculpt one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. This striking scenery is located in one of 61 national parks within the Petrified Forest National Park, administered by the United States National Park Service. Located in the desert area of ??northeastern Arizona, just near the border with New Mexico, the park takes its name from the high concentration of fossil tree trunks, dating back to the Upper Triassic (between 205 and 225 million years ago).



During the Upper Triassic period, the entire plain was submerged by the water of the rivers that flowed from surrounding plateaus. A huge mass of fallen trees, carried by the rush of the waters, settled on the ground and then remained buried by volcanic ash. The silica contained in the ash, dissolved by underground water infiltrations, then penetrated the trunks and transformed the organic matter into wonderful quartz crystals with dazzling colors. The "petrified" trees are also found in other parts of the world, but this place is certainly the largest, especially for the number of fossil deposits present.



The park extends for about 150 miles and also offers the spectacle of an area of ??high geological interest called the Painted Desert, a desert where the concentration of manganese and iron contained in the rocks has marked the hills with deep colored furrows, worthy only of the wise hand of mother nature. To visit the various sections of this fascinating area with extraordinary color shades, check out the map supplied at the park entrance.

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