Petrified Forest, Petrified forest in Sonoma County, United States.
Petrified Forest is a natural area in Sonoma County featuring stone-like redwood trees scattered across the landscape. Some of these trees reach more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) in diameter and stretch over 65 feet (20 meters) in length.
The stone trees come from the Pliocene epoch and were transformed by volcanic activity from Mount St Helena millions of years ago. A Swedish settler named Charles Evans discovered these formations in 1870, bringing them to the attention of the scientific community.
The site's name comes from the stone-like trees that dominate the landscape like natural monuments. Visitors today can observe how nature transformed living wood into rock and sense the power behind this transformation.
The site has a self-guided walking trail of about half a mile with informational signs explaining how petrification happens geologically. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be ready for uneven ground where the stone trees lie in their natural state.
Redwood trees were gradually transformed into stone by volcanic ash and minerals about 3.4 million years ago. This transformation is so complete that the petrified trees today look like natural sculptures created by the power of the earth.
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