Ginkgo Petrified Forest

The Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is located on the barren rocky hills overlooking Wanapum Reservoir on the Columbia River. The area has an unusually high number of rare petrified wood trees, which were gradually formed when trees were buried in lava flows and then slowly transformed over thousands of years through the infiltration of silica and minerals. Taking on the shape of the wood and the colors of the minerals, the tree stumps became rock.

An interpretative welcome center is the best starting point to learn about the park, and then a short distance away is a self-guiding tour with numbered interpretative stations that go with a route guide. In addition, Wanapum Recreation Area is available with lots of shoreline, boat launch facilities, campsites, picnic areas, and opportunities for fishing, boating, water skiing, and hiking.