Petrified Forest National Park, AZ., USA. 10/17-18/2023. Crystal Forest. The Triassic-era conifers that comprise most of the fossilized logs

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Petrified Forest National Park, AZ., USA. 10/17-18/2023. Crystal Forest. The Triassic-era conifers that comprise most of the fossilized logs in Petrified Forest National Park were buried by stream-deposited sediment, including volcanic ash, then gradually turned to stone by the slow replacement of organic matter by silica, to form quartz. For most of the logs in the park, the mineral is massive, lacking obvious crystalline faces, but in one section the fossils contain cavities in which actual crystals were found, a mix of clear quartz and purple amethyst - a region that became known as the Crystal Forest. Easy .75-mile paved walking trail welcomes visitors of all ages.

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Size: 4912px × 7360px
Location: Petrified Forest National Park AZ USA
Photo credit: © paul jones / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: az., crystal, desert, forest, national, painted, park, petrified, trail, usa, walking