* Summer Flashback * When I think of state parks and forests in Washington, I always assume they'll consist of lush green foliage. However, Eastern Washington takes on a totally different landscape! The Gingko forest was dry like a desert and I immediately felt like I was transported to a different state. The park is split into two main areas which both require the Discover Pass or $10 for admission. The first area is home to the gift shop, interpretive center and stumps of petrified wood outside on display. This was my first time seeing any remains of petrified wood which are actually considered stone. The wood was smoothed over and some of the surfaces had developed shiny deposits! There are some plaques to read around the exhibit which describe the history of the land and provide more information on the petrified artifacts. It's an amazing realization that we were standing in an area that was once overtaken by lava flows. We could actually see lava remains on the grounds as well! From behind the interpretive center, you can get an expansive view of the Columbia River and Vantage Bridge. Inside, you'll find various types of petrified wood clearly labeled in glass displays which are definitely worth taking a moment to browse. A friendly park guide was also happy to answer any questions. About two miles up the road is a trail which apparently leads to petrified logs. Unfortunately, due to high fire risk (dry summer weather), this area was closed. Somewhere, you can see petroglyphs as well which we also missed this time around. While driving to and from this area, we spotted a herd of antelope! They were in the middle of the road and we caught a glimpse of them as they crossed right in front of us. What a sight! Overall, this is a park that everyone can enjoy, even those who cannot walk a far distance. The petrified wood and interpretive center at the first location is within a very short distance of the parking lot. While not exactly what I expected of a state park, it was still a fascinating visit. I couldn't help but marvel at all of the artifacts that originated from thousands of years ago. Stop by and touch a piece of history! read more

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Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is a MUST see when traveling back to western WA. I'm still perplexed at how naturally beautiful the state of WA is, it's truly unreal how this park and Wenatchee can be 1-2 hours from the other. Our goal is visit as many national parks as we can, in an effort to acknowledge and honor the gift of nature. read more

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I first came to Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park about two decades ago with one of my friends and her geologist dad. We didn't go inside the museum. One of the perks of going with a geologist is that they can clue you in and answer questions as you go. The visit strengthened my interested in rocks and minerals, something that had started when I was about 3 years old. I also became obsessed with rattlesnakes here. Since that first visit geology and rattlesnakes have been intertwined and paths even joined in my life. I recently revisited the park on Wednesday the 12th of August 2020. Now I am a geologist, yes we exist! I made a day of driving around Central Washington looking at the rocks in a handful of places including here, Hanford Reach National Monument, Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, and Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark. Fun to get a feel for the rocks in the area and how the petrified forest fits into the bigger geologic context. Parking was abundant, mine was the only car in the visitor parking lot when I was there. The museum/interpretive center was not open on my visit so I walked the petrified forest outside, viewed the petroglyphs, and enjoyed the sweeping views out over the Columbia River. The petrified forest is speckled with interpretive signs to help one figure out what one is looking at and how it fits into the larger geologic history of the area. I appreciate the close proximity of the trees to one another, which is accurately representative of trees in forests. Fun to think that each hunk of petrified wood was once a tall tree in roughly a similar spacing. Caution and warning signs are also posted in regards to how to help preserve natural wildlife and survive your visit here. Try to avoid getting bitten by a rattlesnake if you can! Also I'd recommend not falling off the steep cliffs to the Columbia River/shore below the park. COVID-19 notices were posted throughout the park. The park was incredibly clean and well maintained. Fun place to visit more than once, especially with a big time gap between visits to see how much the visit changes one's life. read more

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I'm surprised by the negative reviews on here. As the title suggests, this state park is comprised of petrified wood; hence, the word, petrified. It means a state of dissolvement, so not sure why people are expecting trees. So if you're not expecting greenery, this is a wonderful state park to visit. We took a road trip to Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, which is located in Vantage, Washington. Located right off of I-90, it's easy to follow the directions, as you'll be directed to the main area of the park once you exit into town. Because it's a state park, a Discover Pass is required. At the main area of the park, there's an interactive center, bathrooms, water fountain, vending machine and picnic tables. Since we visited during phase 2 of COVID, the interactive center wasn't open, so weren't able to do a deep dive in learning about the area; however, the park was still very cool to visit. There are beautiful views of the Columbia River and is adjacent to the Wanapum Recreation Area where people can camp and go boating. However, the real gem to see is the petrified wood that's here, as the wood has been fossilized. You can see the make-up of the wood and how it's been imprinted after several years. Also, it's cool to see the volcanic remains, which has made up much of the area you see today, as well as preserved petroglyphs of the Wanapum tribe that lived in the area. If you drive down further, the park has many different trails that you can hike, as well as an area where there's a gem store. It was an awesome way to spend the day in central Washington, learning about the different land structure and history. Glad to have visited this unique state park. read more

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Great mom and pop shop Covid did them bad it's there retirement that has been held back do to no business if you pass this place and you like rocks Jen's and a lot of cool petrified wood The kids will love it if they like geodes it's really number one read more

We have driven past and never stopped before. The petrified wood was a bit disappointing, as each "tree" (stump) is in a cage. Many visitors through the years have removed "souvenirs" from the site, so the remaining trees have been locked-up. Still, the grounds are nice, the hike is pretty, and the trails are more extensive then you might initially think. It wasn't a bad place to stop for awhile, stretch our legs, and explore the terrain. read more

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The negative reviews of this place really irk me. A petrified forest isn't a forest- it's fossilized trees. They're not tall and planted in the ground. This is a great collection of petrified wood, and the interpretive center has great information about petrified wood, and the changes in the land that created it. Really a lot to learn. The area is a state park, so you'll need a discover pass, and the interpretive center suggests a donation. This is a really neat stop if you're not naively expecting trees. read more

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Absolutely beautiful , I can honestly say this trip was well worth it specially because I also saw two more sites on the way that were cool and just gorgeous to look at . I stumbled upon this cute like state park while searching for hikes to do this summer . My fiancé and I decided to take a trip and visit this state park and it was really cute ; it is small in my opinion compared to other state parks that I have gone too but also this is kind of in a small town and others would say its in the middle of no where , on your way into the park you bump into a crystal/rock shop and it has dinosaur statues outside super cool it was a cute crystal shop not much but very cute. I wish I had more pictures on my phone but sadly they're still in my camera . read more

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Another gem in WA State! Very family friendly park to enjoy the rolling hills, warm sun and interactive center to gain some natural resource knowledge for the family. The grounds were well maintained, clean and easy to navigate, plenty of picnic areas with some shade and very clean restrooms to clean up after the picnic! Informational signage throughout the grounds were easy to understand pointing out what the landscape was like millions of years ago! The real jewel of the park is the intact petroglyphs! Amazing to be able to visibly see what people were witnessing and experience in their time in this area, a must see for the family. The petrified tree logs were well preserved and on full display to again better understand what the natural world is capable of. Highly recommend visiting this park, enjoy the car ride out here and get more connected with the PNW! A must see. read more

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park - Calming area surrounding the park. - Parks Near Me - Vantage, Washington

Stopped here on the way home from a thanksgiving trip to Quincy. It's easy off the freeway and a gas station is near by. It was a COLD day when I visited but really a great spot to stretch my legs. It was so interesting learning about the unique geological history of the area from the plaques at the park. Since it was so cold I didn't do a ton of exploring. The interpretive center was closed due to Covid but I hope to visit sometime when it is open! Loved it. Great views. Would Recommend!! read more

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So glad we made the effort to look this place up. Lots of information in the Interpretive Center & they even had informative dvds to watch...check it out! read more

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On a recent road trip, I was hell-bent on finally seeing the petrified forest state park, and I got my wish! I'd heard mixed reviews about whether it was worth the visit, but overall I think it is if you like geology, mineralogy, petroglyphs, or scenic views of the Gorge. Unless you're a die-hard rockhound, you won't need more than 30-60 minutes to see all there is to see. You pay a $10 day pass fee for state park access (which you can then use for the rest of the day at other state parks), and museum admission is by donation, but they won't give you stinkeye or anything. Inside, there's a smallish museum and gift shop that's mostly dedicated to petrified wood. You'll see fossil maps of Washington, many samples of different types of wood found in different locations, and some locally found minerals such as Ellensburg blue agate. The exhibits are kind of old-fashioned, with some typed labels and dated-looking displays, but that adds to the charm. Kids will enjoy the picture jasper slices that look like animals, faces, and other objects (like the "Fish Face" one), and there's a short movie about the geologic history of the area, but otherwise I'm not sure this is especially kid-friendly. Outside and behind the museum, you'll see a display of larger logs of petrified wood, which may not look like much when you're driving up but are very colorful and textured up close, so don't miss those. There's a back patio with a scenic view of the Gorge and the river, but no shade and minimal seating, so it's not very tempting to stay out there long in summer. There's also a display of petroglyphs down a short ramp around the side of the building, which is very cool and definitely worth seeing. The posted hours on their website are as follows: Summer hours are 6:30 a.m. to dusk, and Winter hours (November 1 - March 1) are 8 a.m. to dusk. However, we tried to go on a Sunday afternoon on a previous summer trip and the museum was already locked up -- I think the fence was shut, so you couldn't even go up and see the outdoor stuff -- so take it with a grain of salt. Honestly, the Gingko Gem Shop located outside the park entrance is almost as good if you're only mildly interested in petrified wood and minerals. ;) read more

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The setting is beautiful. It's right off I-90, just three miles down on a nicely paved road. The facilities are borderline excellent and the staff is professional and maintains the place with an almost relentless energy. So, why am I giving the Wanapum Campground at Ginko Petrified Forest State Park two stars? Wind. Not just a stiff breeze and not just once in a while. In the three times we've been there - twice for day-long visits with our kids and the latest on a three-day camping trip - the wind has howled down the rise of low hills behind the campground like a Boeing wind tunnel. There is no natural windbreak at all and the trees that were planted there - tall, slender things that are typically used as windbreaks - are grizzled veterans of aeons of this bluster but are clearly of little or no use against gales that howl down the long canyon at Vantage for literal DAYS at a time. After our arrival there at six p.m., it was calm until about 9:30, when the winds picked up and rattled our tent the entire night, making sleep possible only from sheer exhaustion. There was a lull of maybe seven hours the next day and then it blew for a solid forty hours without let-up, slapping our tent so flat that, finally, at 3 a.m., we abandoned it and slept in our car. The winds are so strong and so common that there's a new cafe, in what passes for "downtown Vantage", that's called "The Blustery Grill". It was bad enough that our kids, who have a rock-steady camper mounted so that its aerodynamic front side was to the winds, finally gave up and went home a day short of their departure date. Even people in huge, heavy RV campers admitted to me that they are sometimes worried by the sheer relentlessness of the winds. This is a GREAT campground, as Washington State Parks go. We've researched about three dozen potential campsites so far and Wanapum is by far the cleanest, most orderly, and best managed. We would LOVE to stay here again but have had to - VERY reluctantly - cross it off our list. If you have a monster RV and a LOT of patience with staying inside, don't mind not having a campfire and not being able to get your boat out onto the wildly-pitching Columbia, and can sleep through what sounds like 400 people banging on cardboard boxes with rolled-up newspapers, Wanapum is an ideal place; an easy two-hour interstate drive from Seattle, to see one of the most gorgeous stretches of river in the American West. Sadly, seeing it is about all you can do, most days. It's magnificent and majestic and still wild as it undoubtedly was before man trampled on it. Unfortunately, the raging winds are very much part of that wild majesty and they were just finally too much for mere mortals like us. read more

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This state park kind of seems like it is split into two. If you are coming off of I-90 you hit the turn off for the visitor's center first. If you travel on a little ways further then you hit a hiking loop where you can look at fossilized trees. Technically on the hiking loop what you are looking at is fossils of tree trunks and not actually whole trees. They are alright but if you are not really into examining the textures of fossils it could get to be a little bit boring. The most impressive tree fossils are actually at the visitor center. There are huge slabs of petrified trees which are very impressive to look at. There is a museum there as well. The admission is a suggested donation of a dollar aside from paying the enterance fee to get into the park which is $10. The park was cool to go to but is not as impressive as the Petrified Forest in Arizona but that is ok. It was still a learning experience read more

One of our road trips we stopped to visit. Very interesting & beautiful. First time I've ever seen anything like it. Great place to take children & teach them on the natural beauty. read more

This is a really cool place to go to find out about the geological history of washington state (which is very unique.) Plus, you get to see real live (ok petrified) ginkgo trees (ok stumps.) It is way fascinating. They have an interpretive center with a really cool video that does a great job of explaining all sorts of geological stuff about washington. And, there is a trail to walk on where you can see the remains of ancient ancient ginkgo trees. I have no idea why my parents never took us here but I was thrilled when I went to it a few years back! While you are in vantage, stop by the grocery market. They have all sorts of fascinating candy there! read more

What a great little place for a break from the long Seattle - Spokane drive. They have a nice visitor's center and a beautiful view of the river. It is the perfect place to have a little picnic and stretch. They also have a few petroglyphs for viewing near the visitor's center. They are not in excellent shape, but still very cool. read more

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Fantastic information on the wide variety of petrified wood in the area. WORTH THE STOP!! Stop at the rock shop/store on the drive out. read more

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park - Rock shop next door. Keep going to the museum. - Parks Near Me - Vantage, Washington

The petrified trees (stumps) are in cages, you cant even touch them. What the hell... We did see a lizrard that was about an inch long so that was exciting. Picnic area was being watered by a sprinkler system so you couldn't even sit down. read more

As good as it get for free activity and enjoyment of the nature. read more

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This isn't a forest, more like a graveyard of trees! There really isn't anything to see but a few stumps that are protected by cages along the pathway of some trails. Be mindful during the summer time as there are rattlesnakes. It's still cool to see, however I highly recommend stopping at the rock shop nearby to get an up-close look at petrified wood and you can buy tons of souvenirs. read more

Hot and windy. Lots of geology to look at . It's good to get out and get new scenery. Pack a lunch though; nothing out there

We came in expecting tall, majestic trees gathered all together--an actual forest. What we got was a couple of stumps in little cages. None of us thought it was worth the time we took to drive and see it. read more

wow, it is super windy here... must be due to the wind tunnel caused by the valleys. okay...so there is a hike here... and it's about 2 miles round trip. but the thing is the hike is really barren (no shade/trees) and not well labelled. you can meander off course easily especially with the winds disorienting you. the petrified trees are caged up and you can peer at them through the heavy wires... feels like you're gazing into a tree coffin. O.o there is a little visitors center which is cool - you see displays of different petrified wood and the history of the forest. (free admission, suggested $1 donations). mm... the drive here from seattle is 2.5hrs and is really really picturesque but coming to this hike was a bit anti-climatic. read more

We had a fun visit here over Labor Day. The visitor's center is well-kept (clean bathrooms!), has a lot of great information and, as others have said, beautiful views! We enjoyed looking at the petroglyphs and there is plenty of petrified wood that you can get up close to, sit on, feel, and just enjoy. We traveled further on and did the "hike." I would not recommend this portion of the park. There is a 3-mile loop through some grass to view petrified tree trunks that are all but obscured by huge brick and metal grates. I get that they need to protect the trees from theft but it seemed like overkill, and definitely made it difficult to enjoy. There is also no shade on the loop and no other interesting features. If we had it to do again, we'd stop off at the interesting visitor's center, hit the gem shop, and spend the rest of the day rock climbing at nearby sites. read more

This is the best place to pull over and relax en route to Eastern Washington. Bring a picnic lunch, let kiddos burn off some energy, and enjoy the sunshine and beautiful view of the river. The little museum is fun too, great place to learn and relax and get some fresh air. read more

Crazy geologic theories. Maybe even true and definitely worth hearing.

Great interpretive trail with large petrified logs (sadly in cages due to theft) to observe. Easy to stop by if you are traveling down I90 through Vantage its just off the freeway. Free to visit. read more

Lovely day trip for lunch to learn about WA geology.

Good stop on I90 from Seattle to Spokane. Right on the Columbia River near The Gorge. I didn't get to do much in the petrified forest, maybe next time. read more

A great short stop if you're on the I-90 heading anywhere. Lovely views of the gorge, and some nice fossilized specimens to look at. You can also drive down to the water's edge and enjoy a different set of views. read more