Normally I put where to/how to info on this website. This post is different. It is meant to inspire and show there are still wonders to be found wandering off the beaten path.

Dave Webb 
Feb 16, 2024

There is a concentration of petrified logs in a rugged wash in SW Utah. Some are quite large and in good condition. Some lie on top of the ground where they are exposed to the elements. Others protrude a short distance above the ground and it looks like much is still buried. Many are mostly intact and in good shape while others have eroded into many small chunks.

Just casually walking down the wash I probably saw six large logs in good condition and several more that were highly eroded. I'm sure more could be found by doing a careful search.

I stumbled upon this spot some 50 years ago. It fascinates me and so I return every few years. I'm pleased to report that the big logs are still there and I don't see any indication that folks are trying to dig them out or haul them away. I'm sure people have taken chunks of rock -- probably some fairly large chunks -- but the big logs appear to be unmolested.

I am fascinated by the variation in the wood. Some is agatized, some is not. Colors and textures vary considerably even though specimens are just inches apart. In southern Utah the Chinle Formation holds a lot of petrified wood. Is this Chinle? The wash is deep and I assume it cuts through a couple of different formations and erosion has mixed things up a bit.

The wash is not accessible by vehicle and hiking is difficult. I'm sure the logs would have disappeared years ago if the spot was more accessible. I believe it is located on BLM land but private land nearby is being developed. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before this spot is "discovered" and the logs are hauled away, despite the difficult terrain. I wish there was a way to protect the spot.

My father used to say, "This would be a national park if it was in any other state besides Utah." But this area has so many attractions, so many wonders, that one more just doesn't get much attention.

There are several washes in this area and I've only casually explored this one. I think I'll do more hiking here and see what else I find. Regardless, I'll keep my eye on this spot and see what happens.