Petrified Forest

This 845-acre property in Sonoma County is home to the largest petrified forest in the world. It was created 3.4 million years ago when Mount St. Helens erupted, burying the trees in a thick layer of volcanic ash. Over the next thousands of years, the ash penetrated the trees, destroying the bacteria that causes decomposition and creating a fossil-like structure from their trunks. The forest was buried for millions of years until it was discovered by a farmer in 1870. Now, guests can see these prehistoric trees, including the Pit Tree, the Giant, and the 8-foot wide Queen.