The Trees At This Northern California Forest Are Frozen In Time

The trees in Northern California’s Petrified Forest are quite literally frozen in time. This unique site in Calistoga near Napa Valley is the result of a violent volcanic explosion that occurred 3.4 million years ago. Here are some incredible things about the Petrified Forest.

Mount St. Helena, a now-extinct volcano near the Petrified Forest, erupted and knocked down the forest of Redwood trees.

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Volcanic ash quickly buried the trees, creating an anaerobic (oxygen-deprived) environment in which decomposition could not take place as normal.

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Now, thousands of millenia later, those trees are still preserved where they fell all those years ago.

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Even the most minute details of the wood were preserved, making this a true ecological phenomenon.

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The species of Redwood trees found in the Petrified Forest is now extinct, but because of the volcanic eruption, they are forever preserved here for all to see.

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The Petrified Forest was first discovered in 1870 by a Swedish homesteader who discovered an old hollow log that was as hard as rock.

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Today, archaeologists study the Petrified Forest as a window to the past that lets them learn about environments that are long gone.

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In addition to the Petrified Forest, lots of beautiful flora can be seen in the area, making this an even more scenic destination.

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The Petrified Forest is one of many pieces of evidence of California’s volcanic past. For more spots where you can spot volcanic ruins, check these out.

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