In the early 1900s, visitors came to what was then Petrified Forest National Monument by passenger train and stopped in Adamana. Their first chance to see petrified wood was at Forest #1, now Jasper Forest, which contains one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the world.
Nowhere else has so large and beautiful and in every way wonderful section of the ancient...forests been discovered, and after it is cared for by the Nation and made easily accessible, it will, I am sure, become one or the most attractive and famous places in all our Western Wonderland. - John Muir, September 12, 1906
Jasper Forest Road is located 18.1 miles from the north entrance station and 9.2 miles from the south entrance station on the west side of Park Road. At about 0.3 miles, the two-way Jasper Forest Road splits into a one-way loop. There are over two dozen parking places for private passenger vehicles, two places for handicap placarded vehicles and about half a dozen for RVs and buses. A 130 foot paved, accessible walkway leads to a fenced overlook. There is no access to the valley and the petrified wood from this location. We visited on our May 2015 trip to the Southwest.
 |
| Paved path and overlook |
 |
| Boulders break away from the unsupported caprock |
 |
| Petrified wood washes down the gullies at Jasper Forest |
 |
| Petrified wood lies scattered across the landscape |
 |
| More boulders and petrified wood |
 |
| Pilot Rock on the horizon (18.5 miles) |
 |
| Petrified wood everywhere you look |
 |
| A closer view of the petrified wood |
 |
| The upper layers of the Blue Mesa member of the Chinle Formation |
 |
| Petrified wood at the base of the mesa |
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment