Petrified National Forest National Park * Arizona * 01.18.2023
The science behind the phenomenon of petrified wood was fascinating. Why aren’t their petrified trees everywhere? Turns out a rare set of circumstances must come together to freeze time. Everything rots right, but not these trees. In my layman’s terms; First a tree must be buried quickly, deep enough where oxygen will not reach the plant material to break it down. This can be from volcanic ask or a mud slide or silt.
Then over thousands of years the preserved plant material is slowly replaced by mineral material that drips down in groundwater. Swapping the plant material for the new mineral material in a perfect mirror image.
The rock trees were massive, way larger than imagined. Our favorite was the Rainbow Forest. It had the largest collection of massive, petrified trees and the colors were across the spectrum. Some of the replacement material was Opal and the trees reflected like a dream. Try and visit on a sunny day to get maximum reflection and refraction. This place is eye candy for your soul.
