The Mississippi Petrified Forest is one of the most unique attractions in Mississippi. About 36 million years ago, an ancient river ran through the area, providing the landscape with a water source for flora and fauna to thrive. Somewhere along the way, fir and maple logs washed down the river and over the years became petrified, frozen in time for eternity. The Mississippi Petrified Forest is only one of two petrified forests in the eastern United States (the other is Gilboa Fossil Forest in New York) and this unique attraction makes for a wonderful family adventure.
The nature trail will lead you on a journey through time, a time long ago before the written record, a time where we can only imagine what this landscape would have looked like in its prime.
As you make your way along the trail, keep in mind that when these trees were alive, they were easily over 100 feet tall and at least 1,000 years old before they became petrified.
The tree's rings tell us how old these trees are, and educational signage along the way helps us put things into perspective.
It's a wonderful glimpse at a lost and forgotten landscape that Mississippi hasn't seen in millions of years.
The earth science museum is located at the end of the nature trail, and there’s even more to explore here.
The museum houses a huge collection of fossils and petrified wood from around the world, including a piece of petrified wood from every state in the country.
Be sure to swing by the gift shop so you can pick out a little something to remember your visit.
There's even a gem mining flume where you can discover your own fossils and gemstones.
And you can keep what you find!
Visit the Petrified Forest website for more information, and don't forget to follow them on Petrified Forest Facebook, too.
This prehistoric forest is just one of many hidden gems in the Magnolia State. Check out our previous article highlighting some of our other favorite hidden gems in Mississippi and make it your mission to view them all!
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