Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona protects petrified wood deposits, fossils, and wildlife. The park also features structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corp and a section of historic Route 66. The park covers 93,500 acres and is home to a diverse range of wildlife and vegetation. It also includes archaeological sites dating back to human habitation.
Petrified Forest National Park is a United States national park in the state of Arizona, 126 miles east of Flagstaff. It was established in 1906, expanded in 1932 and again in 2004. The primary purpose of the park is to protect the deposits of petrified wood in the area. Beyond that, the park is known for its rich deposits of fossils, animal life, and insight into the local environment. Petrified Forest National Park also showcases buildings and other structures constructed by the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corp and includes a section of historic US Route 66.
Within the park boundaries is one of the richest deposits of petrified wood in North America, found both buried and exposed above ground. Petrified wood is fossilized wood in which the original wood cells have been replaced with quartz while maintaining the original physical appearance of each piece. Impurities such as the iron in quartz produce a variety of colors which have sometimes led to petrified wood being called painted wood. Pieces of petrified wood can be as small as chips or as large as whole logs.
The current park is just over 93,500 acres (about 375 square km). It encompasses a variety of terrains from dry grassland-covered hills to steeply eroded gullies. The driest parts of the park are examples of high desert.
Petrified Forest National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Larger mammals resident in the park include mule deer and pronghorn. The swift fox and bobcat, as well as the coyote, are among the predatory animals in the park. Badgers, raccoons and skunks are common, along with rabbits and at least nine species of mice.
The most common birds in the park are birds of prey, also called birds of prey. These include the turkey vulture, lesser harrier and red-tailed hawk as well as the greater roadrunner. All raptors hunt the park’s smaller mammals and reptiles, including the 15 or more varieties of snakes and lizards. Several species of toads are found in the park, spending the dry parts of each year hibernating underground.
Vegetation in Petrified Forest National Park is typical of desert areas and dry grasslands. Indian rice grass and blue gramma are some of the more common grasses found there, while larger plants include snake grass, New Mexico salt marsh, and narrow-leaved yucca. Humans have lived in and around the park for thousands of years, and the park includes hundreds of archaeological sites dating back to various periods of human habitation.
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