Occasional patches of petrified wood are scattered over a large area of southeast Utah and on into north Arizona, including the most famous deposits at the Petrified Forest National Park. A sizeable area is found near Escalante, spread over the edge of the plateau just northwest of town and has been protected since 1963 as a state park, which also includes a small reservoir - a noted birdwatching location, and a 22 site campsite. A short trail winds past many of the fossilised samples, and a pleasant hour can be spent wandering amongst the colorful rocks, in addition to which the area is also noted for Fremont Indian relics, 1,000 year old petroglyphs and dinosaur bones dating from the Jurassic period.
The Park: Escalante State Park is well signposted and is reached by a side road just outside town on scenic highway 12; this crosses an agriculturalised valley towards a line of low cliffs, beneath which is the campground and administration buildings, all close to the edge of Wide Hollow Reservoir - built in 1954 this provides a rare wetland bird habitat in south Utah. Fishing, boating and swimming are permitted.
Trails: The 1 mile Petrified Forest Trail climbs 250 feet up the slope behind the camping area to the pine and juniper-covered flat land above and passes various petrified specimens. Rather more impressive is the linked 0.75 mile Trail of the Sleeping Rainbows, named after the native Freemont Indian description of this region - this descends into one steep ravine and ascends another, passing many large logs up to 5 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. They are not quite as colorful as those of the national park in Arizona but still well worth seeing. Both parks have similar cautionary tales about the ill fortune that befalls those who illegally remove samples, with a collection of letters sent from remorseful visitors.
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