The Petrified Forest is one of the strangest sights in wine country and a short, satisfying walk for curious minds of any age. In the hills off Petrified Forest Road, between Calistoga and Santa Rosa, a volcanic eruption around 3.4 million years ago blew down a forest of ancient redwoods and buried them in ash; over time, silica-rich water seeped into the wood and replaced it, cell by cell, with stone. Today several of those trunks, some of them enormous, lie exposed along a looping woodland trail, their bark texture and growth rings still visible in rock. The site was discovered in the 1870s by a settler known as Petrified Charlie, and it has been showing visitors the logs ever since; Robert Louis Stevenson came by during his 1880 honeymoon stay in the area and described the place and its owner in The Silverado Squatters. The main trail is an easy, mostly shaded loop past the largest specimens, with signs explaining the geology, and a meadow trail extends the walk through open grassland with valley views. It is privately owned and charges a modest admission, with reduced prices for children and free entry for the youngest, and the visitor shop sells fossils and rocks that children love. It is not a grand national-park experience, and the logs can look modest in photographs, but standing beside a redwood that turned to stone before humans existed has a way of resetting perspective, and it fills an hour neatly on the drive between the two valleys.
Reading the logs. The best specimens show how faithfully petrification preserves detail: knots, cracks and the fine grain of the wood are all there, now in shades of gray, cream and rust. Signs along the trail explain the sequence, from eruption to burial to mineral replacement to the erosion that eventually exposed the trunks, and the scale becomes clear when you compare the fallen giants with the living trees growing above them. Children enjoy hunting for the biggest log and touching stone that still looks like bark.
Visiting well. The site is open daily during daytime hours; arrive by mid-afternoon to finish the trail before closing, and check the website for occasional maintenance closures. Wear comfortable shoes, as the paths are dirt and gravel with a few gentle slopes. Allow an hour for the main trail and the shop, more with the meadow trail. There is no food service of note, so plan lunch in Calistoga or Santa Rosa.
Pairing it. The Petrified Forest sits on the scenic back road between Calistoga and Santa Rosa, so it fits naturally between a Napa morning and a Sonoma afternoon. Combine it with Old Faithful Geyser for a family geology morning, then continue to Safari West or the Charles M. Schulz Museum on the Santa Rosa side. Petrified Forest Road is winding, so a designated driver is wise if anyone has been tasting.
What to expect
The experience
A short self-guided woodland loop past petrified redwood trunks, with interpretive signs, an optional meadow trail and a rock and fossil shop.
Best time
Mornings or early afternoons; arrive by mid-afternoon to finish before closing. Shade makes it comfortable in summer.
How long
About an hour.
Tips
Wear walking shoes. Check the site for maintenance closures. Combine with Old Faithful Geyser. Plan lunch in Calistoga or Santa Rosa.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Curious travelers and families crossing between Napa and Sonoma.
- Families
- An easy, shaded walk with a fascinating story and a rock shop children love.
- Couples
- A quiet, offbeat hour on the scenic back road between the valleys.
- Pair with
- Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga and Safari West on the Santa Rosa side.
- Time needed
- One hour.
Good questions
How old are the petrified trees?+
The redwoods were knocked down and buried by a volcanic eruption around 3.4 million years ago, then slowly turned to stone as minerals replaced the wood.
How long is the trail?+
The main trail is a short, easy loop that most people walk in under an hour, and a meadow trail extends the visit.
Is there an admission fee?+
Yes, a modest fee, with reduced rates for seniors and children and free entry for children under six. Check current prices before visiting.
Where is the Petrified Forest?+
On Petrified Forest Road in the hills between Calistoga and Santa Rosa, a short drive from both.
Is it suitable for children?+
Yes. The walk is short and mostly shaded, and children enjoy finding the biggest log and browsing the rock shop.
