Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo National Park, Petrified forest national park in Santa Cruz, Argentina
Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo is a national park in Santa Cruz that protects a landscape of stone-like tree trunks scattered across the Patagonian plateau. These ancient logs lie exposed on the ground, showing how organic material transformed into mineral deposits over vast spans of time.
The area was once covered by extensive forests during the Middle Jurassic period before volcanic eruptions and mineral-rich water sources altered the landscape. Over millions of years, these geological processes gradually converted wooden material into the stone formations visible today.
The geological formations within the park provide scientists with valuable information about prehistoric plant species and ancient environmental conditions in South America.
The park can be reached via National Route 3 and Provincial Route 49, and trails cross open ground where the sun is direct and exposure is significant. Bring plenty of water and protection from the sun, as this elevated plateau offers little shelter and weather can change quickly.
Many visitors overlook the range in conditions across the logs, with some fully exposed and others still partly buried in the ground. These varying degrees of exposure reveal how different erosion patterns have affected each petrified specimen over time.
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