Hike Onyx Bridge & Angel's Garden, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

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This hike takes you to a dramatic example of petrified wood eroding out of the Black Forest Bed of the Chinle Formation. The Triassic conifer tree, known as Onyx Bridge, is one of the many preserved logs in the Black Forest. These logs and the geologic layer in which they are found in are about 210 million years old. Start the hike at Painted Desert Inn and head down to the desert floor and head north to Lithodendron Wash. Follow the wash east until it narrows. Keep right and ascend the hill to Onyx Bridge. Continue southwest for a quarter mile to head over to Angel's Garden, an area highly concentrated with chopped up full trees. Park at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (2 miles from the north entrance of the park). If you know where to look, you can actually see Onyx Bridge from the overlook. Looking at the inn from the parking lot, the trail begins with steps to the left just behind the upright display signs. Take the steps down to the switchback trail that descends 300 feet down to the valley floor. Please be careful of the loose pebbles. WARNING: While normally dry, washes (such as Lithodendron Wash) and canyons are subject to flash floods during the monsoon season, June through September. During this time, storms tend to move quickly across the landscape and could leave you stranded if you are not prepared. Never cross a flash flood. Immediately head to higher ground.

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