State Park

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park

Large natural reserve showcasing petrified wood & fossilized dinosaur bone exhibits.

(1,304)

Escalante, UT

About

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park is a 1,400-acre park about 2 miles northwest of the town of Escalante, just off Scenic Byway 12. It's not part of the national monument — it's a Utah State Parks property with its own distinct character: petrified wood scattered across open terrain, a stocked reservoir for fishing and paddling, and a campground. The park is roughly 44 miles east of Bryce Canyon National Park, making it a logical add-on for anyone driving the full length of Byway 12.

Petrified Wood and Trails

The park contains an estimated five and a half million tons of petrified wood — fossilized trees buried in ancient floodplains and preserved by volcanic ash over millions of years. Two hiking trails cover the main deposits:

Petrified Forest Trail: a 1-mile loop through lava flows and juniper forest
Sleeping Rainbows Trail: an optional 0.75-mile loop branching off the Petrified Forest Trail, passing the highest concentration of colorful petrified logs

Do not remove petrified wood — it's federally protected and removal is illegal. The visitor center displays petrified dinosaur bones, ammonite fossils, and shell specimens that give context to what you're seeing on the trails.

Wide Hollow Reservoir

The reservoir adjacent to the park was built in 1954 for irrigation and is now fully stocked with rainbow trout and bluegill. Fishing, kayaking, and non-motorized boating are all permitted. It's an unusual amenity for a state park in southern Utah's desert terrain — bring a rod if fishing interests you, or a kayak if you want a calm paddle with canyon views.

Visitor Center and Camping

The on-site visitor center has exhibits on geology and fossils. A campground provides overnight options with basic amenities; check Utah State Parks for current site availability and fees.

What to See at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park

The park's central draw is the petrified wood itself — an estimated five and a half million tons of fossilized trees spread across the landscape, remnants of ancient forests buried by floodplains and preserved through volcanic ash over millions of years. The two hiking trails give you the most direct access: the Petrified Forest Trail winds through lava flows and juniper terrain, while the Sleeping Rainbows Trail branches off to the densest cluster of colorful petrified logs in the park. Colors in the logs range across reds, oranges, and purples — the result of mineral replacement that happened as the wood fossilized. Inside the visitor center, you'll find petrified dinosaur bones, ammonite fossils, and shell specimens that provide geological context for what the trails show on the ground. Wide Hollow Reservoir adds a different kind of scenery: a calm body of water ringed by canyon terrain, open to fishing and non-motorized boating.

Visitor Tips

Do not remove petrified wood from the park — it is federally protected and removal is illegal, regardless of how small a piece may seem.
If you have time for only one trail, the Sleeping Rainbows Trail offers the highest concentration of colorful petrified logs; it branches from the Petrified Forest Trail, so you can easily combine both in a single outing.
The park is roughly 44 miles east of Bryce Canyon National Park along Byway 12 — it fits naturally as a half-day addition if you're driving the full corridor.
Southern Utah's high desert sun is intense even at mild temperatures; sunscreen and water are worth having on both trail loops.

Planning Your Visit

The park sits about 2 miles northwest of the town of Escalante, just off Scenic Byway 12, making it easy to reach without a long detour. An entry pass is required for state park visitors. A campground on-site provides overnight options if you want more than a day visit — check Utah State Parks directly for current site availability. The visitor center is the best first stop: exhibits on geology and local fossils set the stage for both trail loops. If you plan to fish or paddle Wide Hollow Reservoir, bring your own gear; the reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout and bluegill and permits non-motorized watercraft.

Park Amenities

Accepts Credit Cards

Reviews (1,304)

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4.5

1,304 reviews

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Jennifer Archibald

3 months ago

Amazing state park campground. We stayed here for 6 nights as a centralized location for our Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Escalante Grand Staircase trip. The sites are huge and spaced well apart from others. The bath house is the nicest bath house I’ve ever seen in any campground! Our RV has a spacious bathroom, but I chose to utilize the bath house for half of the days. I’m glad we spent a day doing the petrified forest trail and paddle boarding on the reservoir. All staff and park employees were helpful and welcoming. I highly recommend this campground.

Todd Alan Green

4 months ago

This was a nice hike. I would say to hit the Sleeping Rainbow trail is the way to go but only for those who can handle the hike back up. Not difficult but there is elevation. This hike was worth it. The Petrified Forest trail was nice and outside of the initial ascent it was easy.

Wendy Robinson

5 months ago

Stopped by to do the Petrified forest and Rainbow Loop hike. There is a $10 car fee to come into the park for doing the hike. The hike is 2.2 miles to do the loop and had a designated parking lot. Bathrooms are nearby for use. The hike is worth it to see lots of colorful petrified rocks and trees. The view lookout at the midpoint of the hike is beautiful!!! The area also offers camping and a reservoir to use. I would take the time to do the hike when visiting Escalante.

Diane Allen

3 months ago

Great State Park. Very-well maintained spaces. Incredible scenery, friendly, helpful staff. Best of all? Full hookups, unless you're tent camping. Downside: it's a really busy park.

Denis Tardif

4 months ago

The park is perfectly situated for exploring the region. Despite being 63 years old, the plumbing and electrical facilities look almost brand new. The Visitor Center staff are very knowledgeable about the area's attractions and particularly generous with their time in advising visitors.