Petrified Forest Site

• General Information
• Directions to The Petrified Forest
• Petrified Forest Tour
• Collecting Petrified Wood
• Calistoga Geyser
• Tools and Equipment Required
• Rules and Regulations
• Further Reading

This site is located in the Napa Valley in Sonoma County, just north of San Francisco. It's named 'The Petrified Forest' and is registered as California Historical Landmark #915. It's privately owned and tour services are available.

The Petrified Forest was formed when a huge volcano erupted around 3 million years ago. The eruptions, and ash fall that followed, lasted for many thousand years! Combined with rain, this colossal geological event buried and preserved a gigantic forest that once stood there. The ash fall of Mount Saint Helens eruption in 1980, for example, lasted only 9 hours!

These petrified trees are the biggest fossils in the world. Some over 150 feet long!

The petrified forest is located just 8 miles from the town of Santa Rosa.

From San Francisco take highway 101 North until you reach Santa Rosa. The drive takes approx. 1 hour and 20 minutes. In Santa Rosa take the Mark West Springs Rd. exit. Drive 8 miles until you reach a 'T' intersection. On the right is Calistoga Rd. and on the left is Petrified Forest Rd. Go left for a couple of miles. You will see a sign to The Petrified Forest and the main entrance driveway to your left.

This self guided trail tour is a natural exhibit and includes explanation signs along the way. One of the first trees you'll see makes for a nice group photo.

Soon comes "The Giant", at 60 feet in length and 6 feet in diameter. This tree was over 2,000 years old when it was buried. Then, "The Queen", with part of its original bark preserved. "The Monarch" is a tree partialy still buried with 105 feet in length exposed.

The tour also includes many other specimens. At the end, don't forget to visit the very nice Store/Museum. It has many rocks and fossils in display.

One of the remnants of the huge volcanic activity that occurred in the area over 3 million years ago is the Calistoga Geyser. It is only 5 minutes away from The Petrified Forest and is worth a visit.

Turn left at the forest exit until you reach highway 128. Turn left on 128 and right on Tubbs Road. The geyser entrance is at your left.

This geyser is named "Old Faithful" because it steams exactly every 40 minutes. It is the most precise geyser in the world.

For these sites you will need the following tool. No need for collecting gear here!

The Petrified Forest and The Old Faithful Geyser are privately-owned natural exhibits and fossil collecting is of course not allowed. However, you can take as many pictures and video as you wish.

Entrance fees are required for the exhibits. You can call The Petrified Forest at (707)942-667 and California's Old Faithful at (707)942-6463 for more information.

The following book is recommended for further reading: 

• "The Silverado Squatters" by Robert Louis Stevenson. This famous writter visited the petrified forest in 1880. He mentions in this book such a visit and his meeting with 'Petrified Charlie' who discovered the forest in 1870. (Click on book title to link to Amazon.com)