The Giant Logs Trail a 0.3 mile paved multiple-loop trail located behind the Rainbow Forest Museum in Petrified Forest National Park. We purchased a trail guide and followed the numbered posts around the loop. The trail has numerous stairs and steep inclines, so it is not handicap accessible. An early season storm kept us from walking the other segments of the trail when we visited in May 2015.
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| Tree rings |
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| Was a branch sprouting off this odd shaped section? |
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| A small cholla cactus with buds |
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| Logs scattered across a sandstone cap rock |
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| Cracks radiate from the heart of this section |
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| Brightly colored sections have rolled across the landscape |
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| Evening Primrose |
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| A nearly intact tree rests atop the sandstone |
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| Vegetation has nearly engulfed this section |
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| Steps along the trail |
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| Looking back at the gift shop and Rainbow Forest Museum |
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| Another nearly intact specimen |
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| Mesas on the horizon above the Stephen Mather plaque |
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| The trail surface has worn over the years |
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| The underlying mudstone erodes more rapidly than the quartz of the petrified wood |
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| The storm approaches |
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| An example of a sandstone cap rock |
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| Several intact trees atop the hill |
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| Another large tree along the path |
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| The varying colors are a result of environmental conditions when silica replaced carbon |
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| There are numerous steps along the trail |
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| Old Faithful is one of the largest trees in the park |
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| The base of the log has been supported since a 1962 lightning strike |
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| The remaining portion of Old Faithful is 35 feet long |
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| Another view of Old Faithful |
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| This segment displays a rainbow of colors |
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| Another rainbow in stone |
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| Petrified wood seems littered across the landscape |
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| Another pedestal created by erosion |
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| Another look at the trail and the incoming storm |
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| A cholla cactus seemingly stands guard over the petrified wood |
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| An animal has made a nest inside this section |
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| The trees break into sections due to the brittle nature of quartz |
An entry fee of $10 per private vehicle is good for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($10 for lifetime), Access Pass (free with documented disability) and Military Annual Pass (free for active duty personnel).
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm.
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