The park was established in 1963 and the Wide Hollow Reservoir was built in 1954.

Once you pay the entrance fee the parking lot is just around the corner to the right.  If you need to use the bathrooms or even take a shower, they are located to the north west of the where you park.  The park has moved some of the petrified wood near the restrooms and the large pavilion so you can see some not just on the trails.  The rangers were very helpful and the park is nicely organized.

It was already about 90 degrees Fahrenheit when I hit the trailhead and I kept thinking that all I wanted was an ice cold Pepsi when I’m done with this hike, so I was happy to find a Pepsi vending machine at this park too. Sometimes all you want is a Pepsi! Right?? 🙂 Anyway…

Right at the parking lot there is tons of petrified wood to see!  You don’t need to do the hike on top of the mesa to see some great things.  I highly recommend going on top of the mesa to do the loop hike, but if you are short on time then just do the very short 100 ft walk around the trail near the picnic pavilion.  There is also a very large petrified tree example up on display to the east of where you park.  There are also some dinosaur bones and other fossils in this area all of which are over 100 million years old!

On the south side of the parking lot you will find the trailhead for the Petrified Forest Trail.  Grab a trail guide if you want and head out as you will find different numbered stops along the way pointing out the petrified wood, scenery, and vegetation.  This trail initially has a few switchbacks to gain the 270+ ft of elevation needed to get to the top of the hill.  You will get some great views of Wide Hollow Reservoir.  The trail is pretty easy unless you hike it in the middle of the summer.  So, if you are planning on hiking in the summer, hike earlier or later in the day so you aren’t hiking in the 100+ degree temperatures!

You won’t see petrified wood for a good ways on this hike.  Despite what some people think, you won’t be finding “forests” of petrified wood too.  There are amazing specimens to behold, but they are sporadic or still hidden under the dirt.  And sadly, many people have already taken pieces of the wood as souvenirs.  Please do not take pieces of petrified wood home.  I know it might be tempting and so if you do feel those urges to steal artifacts and relics, just visit a rock shop in the town of Escalante and buy a few colorful rocks!

Once you hike to the top of the hill you will see that the trail goes left or right.  The trail makes a loop here so it doesn’t really matter which way you go.  I started right and kept going until the first petrified wood stop.  The vegetation on top is juniper trees, cedar trees, short grasses, and lots of different types of bushes.  I love the desert scenery and you may think that there isn’t much life out here, but you would be wrong.  If you are lucky, you might be able to see rabbits, snakes, scorpions, deer, lizards, rodents, many different types of birds, and perhaps a coyote or desert fox.

After hiking a little ways from where the loop trail begins, you will come to the first location of petrified food.  Since it’s located in a wash, it has since slowly been uncovered by years and years of erosion.  You can see the colorful crystals and minerals that have taken the place of the original wood.  You are basically standing on the top of a fallen ancient forest.

You will come to another fork in the trail.  the trail continues on the Petrified Forest Trail or goes down the Trail of Sleeping Rainbows.  More amazing and colorful petrified wood is found down this trail, but sadly I didn’t have time to do it.  The park says that this part of the trail is strenuous and it’s about another 1/4 mile loop.

Keep hiking and the trail will then turn left to another great location to see more petrified wood.  Some examples of petrified wood are huge!

One of the best examples of seeing the original tree rings can be found near where the loop trail begins.  This giant piece of petrified food overlooks the reservoir below and you can see the tree rings!  I tried see how many I could count but couldn’t get far!  It’s crazy to think that there used to be forests of tall trees here 100 million years ago and now they are covered by dirt and rock below your feet!

The trail will meet up with the trail that heads back to the parking.