Exploring the state’s rugged terrain offers a unique opportunity to discover petrified wood, a fossilized treasure from ancient forests. With the right tips, you’ll be ready to embark on your own adventure and uncover these fascinating remnants of prehistoric life.

Knowing where to look and what to expect will increase your chances of spotting these remarkable pieces scattered across this great state’s terrain!

Petrified wood you can find in the US

In the United States, several types of petrified wood can be found, each with unique characteristics based on the original tree species and the minerals involved in the fossilization process. Here are some of the types you’ll be able to find.

Araucarioxylon

Found in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, this is one of the most famous types of petrified wood. It comes from an extinct species of conifer. As Arizona’s state fossil, Araucarioxylon holds a special place in the state’s natural history.

These trees once formed vast forests during the Late Triassic period, about 225 million years ago. The vibrant colors in this petrified wood come from minerals that replaced the original tree material over time.

Metasequoia

Often referred to as dawn redwood, this type of petrified wood can be found in various parts of the U.S., including the Pacific Northwest. Metasequoia was once thought to be extinct until living trees were later discovered in China.

Furthermore, its fine grain and reddish-brown color are characteristic features.

Palmoxylon

This petrified wood originates from palm trees and is often found in the Gulf Coast states like Texas and Louisiana. Recognized as the state stone of Texas, Palmoxylon is abundant and holds cultural significance.

The wood’s unique speckled or dotted pattern comes from the vascular bundles of the original palm tree. These fossils date back to the Cretaceous period, when the area was tropical and teeming with life.

Taxodium

Also known as bald cypress, this petrified wood can be found in the southeastern U.S., particularly in areas that were once swampy. Taxodium wood is often found in places that were ancient swamps, where these trees thrived millions of years ago.

The wood is durable and shows intricate grain patterns, with growth rings and knotholes that tell the story of its long history. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the wet environments that once dominated the Southeast.

Sequoioxylon

Petrified wood from ancient sequoia trees, found in places like California, where sequoia forests once thrived. These trees are the ancestors of the giant sequoias that still stand in California today.

The petrified wood is notable for its large, straight grain and reddish color, reflecting the immense size and age of the original trees.

Ginkgoxylon

Petrified wood from ancient ginkgo trees, which can sometimes be found in states like Oregon and Washington. Ginkgo is one of the oldest tree species on Earth, with fossils dating back over 200 million years.

Ginkgo petrified wood often has a light color and may show patterns similar to the fan-shaped leaves of the living ginkgo.

Dicotyledonous Wood

Found across various states, this type of petrified wood comes from broadleaf trees, making it more common and varied in appearance. You can spot dicotyledonous wood by the distinct vessels and growth rings that indicate seasonal changes.

This type of petrified wood is often found in regions that were once temperate forests, offering clues about the diverse plant life that existed millions of years ago.

Piceoxylon

Petrified wood from ancient spruce trees, commonly found in areas like Wyoming and Montana, where coniferous forests once thrived. Piceoxylon is known for its straight grain and pale color, often showing growth rings that tell the tree’s life story.

These trees were part of the ancient boreal forests that covered large parts of North America during cooler periods.

A Quick Request About Collecting

What Rough Petrified Wood Looks Like

Most of the photos you find of petrified wood are pieces that have been cut and polished. That is certainly useful but isn’t super helpful once you are out in the field. This is what you should look out for once you start hunting:

Exteriors like this

Every type of petrified wood has a different exterior and pattern but this is a good starting point on what to look for.

Texture and grain patterns

One of the most distinctive features to look for is the texture and grain patterns. Petrified wood often retains the original structure of the tree, including the grain, knots, and even growth rings. These patterns can appear similar to modern wood but are typically more rigid and fossilized.

Examine the surface for any linear patterns or striations that indicate the original wood grain. The texture may feel smoother or more polished in certain areas where mineralization has created a glassy effect.

Coloration and mineralization

The color of petrified wood can vary significantly due to the minerals that replaced the organic material during the fossilization process. Common colors include shades of brown, red, yellow, orange, and black.

Some pieces might even exhibit multiple colors in intricate patterns. These colors are often more vivid and diverse than those found in regular rocks. When inspecting potential petrified wood, look for these distinct and varied hues, which can indicate the presence of different minerals such as silica, iron, manganese, and others that contributed to the petrification process.

Bark and exterior features

Another telltale sign of petrified wood is the presence of bark impressions or external textures that resemble tree bark. These features are often well-preserved and can include the rough, fibrous texture of bark, knots, or other surface irregularities typical of natural wood.

The exterior of rough petrified wood may also have a weathered appearance, with cracks and fractures that occurred as the wood fossilized over millions of years. Look closely for these natural wood features, as they can be a strong indicator that you have found a piece of petrified wood.

Weight and density

Petrified wood is typically much heavier and denser than regular wood due to the mineralization process. When rockhounding, pick up the specimen to feel its weight. Even small pieces of petrified wood will feel significantly heavier than an equivalent-sized piece of non-fossilized wood.

This increased density is due to the replacement of organic material with minerals, making petrified wood feel more like a rock than wood. Comparing the weight and density of your find with known samples of petrified wood can help confirm its authenticity.

General Areas To Try First

Before we get into the specific places you should be looking we wanted to give you some more general advice. Once you get to your hunting area you should head straight for these areas if you want to have the best results:

Lakeshores

Lakeshores are like natural garbage cans because all things wash up and get left there over time. That includes wood that has turned to stone. As the water rises and falls, it carries sediment and rocks. It also takes the fossilized remains of trees from long ago.

Most lakeshores have a variety of rocks and minerals, which makes them an excellent place for petrified wood to grow and thrive. You’ll find a nice mix of sedimentary and volcanic rocks, the best sites for preserving wood fossils.

Roadcuts

When building roads, parts of the ground are often cut away to make a smooth path. The magic happens when the road cuts through layers of rock and soil. Petrified wood is often buried deep underground, and roadcuts let us see these underground wonders.

As workers blast through the rock layers, they accidentally find petrified wood that has been there for hundreds of years. Petrified wood is easy for collectors to spot because the exposed rock layers of roadcuts make it easy to see its unique patterns and colors.

Streams and creeks

Streams and creeks can move loose sediment away, which can reveal old wood that has turned to stone. As the water moves around, it exposes small pieces or even more significant amounts of petrified wood that have settled on the streambed.

Streams and creeks are more accessible for collectors because they are not as big. You can easily walk along their banks, jump from rock to rock, and look for petrified wood at the water’s edge.

River beds

Riverbeds are excellent for finding petrified wood due to their unique geological and environmental conditions. Rapid burial by sediments like sand, silt, and mud protects fallen trees from decay, initiating the fossilization process.

Mineral-rich waters flowing through rivers facilitate the replacement of organic material with minerals such as silica, turning wood into stone. Over time, erosion exposes these buried treasures, making them accessible for discovery.

This dynamic environment, with constant sediment deposition and mineral infiltration, creates ideal conditions for the formation and eventual exposure of petrified wood.

The tools every petrified wood hunter will need

When you're out looking for petrified wood having the right tools for the job is really going to make or break your success. You don't need a lot for most trips but there are a handful that are critical and will make your life a lot easier.

We get asked a lot about the equipment we use. Over the years we've found a handful of tools that we recommend to both new and experienced petrified wood hunters which we outline in great detail in our complete rockhounding tools and kit guide. These are quality options that also happen to be relatively inexpensive.

Below are the basic tools that make your life so much easier and save you a ton of time. Check out the full guide to see everything we recommend bringing. One quick note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases but we try very hard to only recommend gear we would use ourselves and often recommend brands you can't find on Amazon.

At a minimum you should have:

1 - Sturdy rock hammer: The Estwing Rock Pick is our standard

2 - Rugged chisels: Try Kendo' 3-piece Chisel Set

3 - Compact shovel: The Koleiya 28-inch shovel works well

4 - Rock screen pan: The Wazakura Soil Sieve Set fits the bill

5 - Eye protection: DeWalt Safety Glasses are cheap and comfortable

6 - Head protection: Malta's Safety Helmet has been our go-to

7 - Jewelers lens with at least 20x magnification: Jarlink's Jewelers Loop is perfect

The petrified wood-finding books that we use most

There are also a few books that have been extremely helpful in the search for gems. These books have great recommendations and tips:

National Audubon Society Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals: North America 

Southwest Treasure Hunter's Gem & Mineral Guide 

Earth Treasures: The Southwestern Quadrant 

We provide links to find these tools on Amazon but some can also be found at your local hardware stores. For more recommendations check out the link to our full tool guide above.

The Best Places To Find Petrified Wood In Arizona

Here’s a list of the best places in the state to look for petrified wood. Even though rockhounding in Arizona is more general, you can also try it out for more chances of finding petrified wood.

Colorado River

The river starts in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and flows through several states, including Arizona. Along its path, the Colorado River has cut deep canyons, like the famous Grand Canyon, and exposed layers of sedimentary rock that are millions of years old.

The area’s geology comprises different formations, such as sandstone, shale, limestone, and conglomerate. Each of these formations has unique qualities and the potential to hold petrified wood.

The river’s geography is characterized by the dramatic and rugged terrain surrounding its banks. Steep cliffs, rocky outcrops, and vast stretches of desert provide an ideal environment for preserving and discovering petrified wood.

Where we found petrified wood at the Colorado River

The town of Holbrook, situated east of the Colorado River, is known as the “Gateway to the Petrified Forest.” This area offers access to several private quarries and rock shops specializing in petrified wood.

Before you take your petrified wood out of Arizona, make sure you know the latest rules.

Nazlini Canyon

The beautiful Nazlini Canyon is an excellent example of the rich geological history of the area. This beautiful canyon is in the northeastern part of the state. It has a wide range of geology, geography, and terrain, which makes it a great place to look for petrified wood.

The canyon’s geology comprises sedimentary rock layers, like sandstone and shale, formed over millions of years. The weathering and erosion of these rock formations have slowly revealed interesting fossil deposits, such as petrified wood.

Geological processes that shaped Nazlini Canyon helped keep these ancient treasures safe and show them to the world.

Where we found petrified wood at Nazlini Canyon

An excellent place to look for petrified wood is along the creek that flows through Nazlini Canyon. The creek’s erosion exposes layers of sediment and fossils, like petrified wood. You might find some fantastic things when you look around the creek bed and the area around it.

 Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park is famous for having a lot of petrified wood. Because of the Chinle Formation’s sedimentary rocks, ancient forests, and dry climate, petrified wood has been able to stay in great shape.

The park is a treasure trove of beautifully preserved wood pieces, logs, and even whole trees that have turned to stone, showing the natural beauty and wonder of petrification.

Petrified Forest National Park has a lot of high deserts, dry landscapes, and famous painted desert views. The park has a unique mix of badlands, mesas, and petrified wood forests of different colors.

Where we found petrified wood at the Petrified Forest National Park

In the southern part of the park, in Rainbow Forest, an extensive collection of wood has turned to stone. There are a lot of dead trees that have turned into brightly colored petrified wood in this area.

At the north of the park, Crystal Forest has a beautiful collection of petrified wood with crystal formations. On the Crystal Forest Trail, there are a lot of petrified wood pieces that are different colors and can be seen through.

Rotten Bananas Butte

Rotten Bananas Butte in Arizona is a fascinating natural formation showing how geology has changed. This unique butte is in the southwestern part of the state. It has a mix of unique geology, different geography, and rough terrain, which makes it an excellent place to look for petrified wood.

It has a variety of terrain, from rocky slopes to eroded cliffs, which makes it a great place to explore and find new things. Ancient forests used to grow in this area, and pieces of petrified wood are all over the land as evidence.

Where we found petrified wood at Rotten Bananas Butte

You can find petrified wood along the many different rock formations at the Rotten Bananas Butte.

Tucson Mountains

Because Tucson Mountain has a lot of different types of terrain, there are many places to look for petrified wood. You might be able to find these exciting fossils on hiking trails, in dry washes, or eroded slopes.

The desert landscape of Tucson Mountain is rough, with dry landscapes, steep rocky slopes, and deep canyons. Because the landscape is so different, petrified wood is more visible and easier to find in the mountain range.

Where we found petrified wood at Tucson Mountain

Petrified wood is abundant along the hiking trails of Tucson Mountain.

Other Great Places To Find Arizona Petrified Wood

We’ll give you a list of more great places in Arizona where you can find petrified wood after we tell you where we think you should look first. We’ve put them in order by county to make things easier.

Common Questions About Finding Petrified Wood In Arizona

It’s important to know the answers to the following questions about petrified wood in Arizona.

How old is petrified wood in Arizona?

Arizona’s age of petrified wood depends on where it is and how it was formed. Most of the petrified wood found in Arizona is from the Chinle Formation, which dates back to the Late Triassic and is thought to be about 225 million years old.

This formation covers a large area in northeastern Arizona, including Petrified Forest National Park.

Can you find petrified palm wood in Arizona?

Arizona is known for having a lot of petrified wood, primarily from coniferous trees, but there are also places where you can find petrified palm wood.

The Best Places To Buy Petrified Wood In Arizona

Not everyone likes to spend the whole day outside looking for petrified wood. Sometimes, you only need one piece to display or add to your collection. Here is a list of rock shops where you can buy petrified wood:

• The DoBell Ranch – 9274 Old Us Highway 180, Holbrook, AZ 86025
• Everything Just Rocks – 2235 W 1st St Unit 104-105, Tempe, AZ 85281
• Fantasia Crystals – 3510 E Bell Rd #9, Phoenix, AZ 85032
• Stewart’s Petrified Wood Shop – Washboard Rd, Holbrook, AZ 86025
• Stones, Crystals, Minerals, Gemstones, & Fossil Shop – 7085 E 5th Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251