Crystal Forest Trail
This .75-mile loop trail begins in the Crystal Forest parking area.
Plan Around Crystal Forest Trail
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Crystal Forest Trail Details
This .75-mile loop trail begins in the Crystal Forest parking area. The easy trail is wheelchair accessible and winds past rolling grasslands and badlands. Named for the sparkling quartz crystals that can be found in the region's petrified logs, the trail offers guests one of the best chances to see the petrified wood up close. The formations are the result of periodic flooding and erosion that took place 218 million years ago, when sediment and ash were carried downstream, settling over fallen trees. Over time, groundwater dissolved silica from the volcanic ash into the porous bodies of the fallen trees, creating the petrified logs on display today.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
0.75 miles
Estimated time
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Crystal Forest Trail
Compare nearby parks around Crystal Forest Trail when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Crystal Forest Trail
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Crystal Forest Trail while the map context is still fresh.
0.0 mi away
Crystal Forest
In the southern unit of the park, about 5 miles from the south entrance, is the Crystal Forest.
0.1 mi away
The Battleship
Just to the west of the Crystal Forest Trail is the Battleship.
1.0 mi away
Dry Wash
Dry Wash connects to the Puerco River west of the ghost town of Adamana and runs south towards Agate Bridge and Jasper Forest.
1.9 mi away
Martha's Butte Hike
This one-mile hike takes hikers to a petroglyph site at the base of Martha's Butte.
1.9 mi away
Jasper Forest Hike
The Jasper Forest Hike offers an easy 2.5-mile round trip hike along a 1930's road into Jasper Forest, a well-preserved garden of petrified wood.
