Giant Logs Trail, Hiking trail in Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo County, Arizona, US

Giant Logs Trail is a 0.4-mile loop in Petrified Forest National Park, starting at the Rainbow Forest Museum in Navajo County, Arizona. The paved path passes large petrified logs and carries a Mather plaque.

The petrified logs originated during the Triassic period around 200 million years ago when forests instead of desert covered this landscape. Over millions of years, minerals accumulated within the tree cells creating the colorful stone replicas visible to visitors today.

The trail starts at the Rainbow Forest Museum, which houses exhibits on the park's geology and on the human history of the region, from early inhabitants to later travellers. A Mather plaque stands along the route, one of the markers honouring Stephen Mather, first director of the National Park Service.

This short route is fully paved making it accessible to most visitors, though some stairs require careful footing. Water stations and shaded seating areas are placed throughout, which is helpful during hot desert conditions.

Groundwater leached minerals from river sediments and volcanic ash that then replaced wood matter cell by cell, gradually transforming trees into stone replicas. This chemical process happened so slowly and completely that it preserved even fine details like tree rings within the finished specimens.