The Petrified Forest - an Earthcache EarthCache
The Petrified Forest - an Earthcache
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This is a commercial enterprise located on the Petrified Forest Road west of Calistoga, CA. There is a .4 mile loop trail, picnic area, restrooms and a nice gift shop.
It is open daily 9-6 in Summer and 9-5 in Winter. There is a $6.00 entrance fee, $5.00 for seniors (over 60) and juniors (12 to 17) and $3.00 for children (6 to 11).
This site has a colorful history going back into the latter part of the 19th century. Robert Louis Stevenson is probably it's most famous visitor though not it's most colorful. He actually mentions one of the trees in his book titled The Silverado Squatters.
This claims to be the world's largest petrified Redwood forest. While we can neither affirm or deny that claim we can say that there are a lot of petrified Redwood trees here. The loop is mostly paved but those with wheelchairs should note the sign warning about steep and rougher ground and think about turning around at that point for the return.
The site was formed when a volcano erupted from the direction of the current Mount St. Helena and knocked the forest flat with all of the trees facing in a southwesterly direction. They were buried in a fine ash which preserved them during the petrification process.
Since the trees were buried (unlike those knocked over by the eruption of Mt. St. Helens) they were preserved. A second factor in the preservation itself is the wonderful resistance to decay that is displayed by Redwood itself.
Over a period of many years water seeping down through the ash dissolved silicates and settled into the gaps left by the slowing decaying tree fibers and replaced the wood cell by cell with crystalized stone. Since then some of that stone agatized into a colorful glass-like gemstone. There are several very nice samples on display in the gift shop.
In addition to the petrification process, the entire area has at times been under water and a variety of fossilized fish, shells, worms, snails and clams have been found and are also on display.
The rest, as they say, is history.
The first modern character to discover these trees was known locally as Petrified Charlie (Charles Evans) who found a stump in his cattle field in 1871. Ollie Bockee purchased the property in 1914 and began to charge a whopping fifty cents for admission. She was the one who first used the proceeds to hire geology students to come and perform the excavations and development. Several of these trees are essentially still in one piece which probably gives rise to their claim as being the world's largest.
As you walk the loop you will pass through a fine example of typical California coast forest with a variety of trees to enjoy.
To log this cache please send the answers to the following questions to us through our profile:
1. There is one example of a petrified tree that is not a Redwood. What species is it?
2. What characteristic of the petrification of the Redwoods sets it apart from the example in question 1? (We're not looking for "size" as an answer.)
3. Silica is the primary mineral involved in the petrification here. What gives the specimens their orange streaks and clusters?
4. In what way have the proprietors treated the "Wood Pile" differently from the other specimens?
5. There are two California Live Oak trees at the entrance. Which famous American naturalist estimated the age of the oldest? When did he do so and how old did he guess that it was?
6. How many persons were in your party? (Posted pictures are particularly appreciated.)
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