Set along the bluffs of the Columbia River in Central Washington, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park preserves one of the most unusual fossil forests in the world. Around 15–16 million years ago, this was a lush, swampy woodland of ginkgo, a species no longer native to North America, along with maple, walnut, sycamore, and other plants.

Volcanic lava flows buried and sealed the logs, while silica-rich water slowly replaced the wood cells with minerals, turning the trees to stone.

The petrified trees remained hidden beneath layers of basalt for millions of years. In the early 1930s, Professor George Beck and his students began studying the area, and in 1932 they discovered a rare petrified ginkgo log.

Scientists recognized the significance of the find, and efforts to protect the area led to the creation of the state park in 1935.

In 1965, Ginkgo Petrified Forest was designated a National Natural Landmark, and in 1975, petrified wood was named Washington’s official state gem.

What to See at Ginkgo Petrified Forest Today

Today, visitors can explore the Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail, a 1.25-mile path that winds past petrified logs preserved in their original setting.

The petrified wood comes in colors ranging from white and orange to red, blue, brown, and black.

At the Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Center, displays feature polished specimens, fossil plants, and a collection of Indigenous rock images that were relocated before the Wanapum Dam reservoir flooded their original location. The images include animals, people, and other symbols carved into the rock.

Other trails and viewpoints offer views of the shrub-steppe landscape, basalt cliffs, seasonal wildflowers, and the Columbia River. Altogether, the park has about three miles of hiking trails.

Whether you come for geology, history, or the stark beauty of the shrub-steppe, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park offers a rare opportunity to see an ancient forest preserved in stone for more than 15 million years.