v2.webp){kind=logo}
- The Petrified Trunks Field: The core attraction, dozens of fossilized Araucaria trunks up to 35 meters long, 3 meters across and 150 million years old, scattered across the steppe in remarkable detail, bark texture included.
- Interpretive Trail Loop: A short, flat, roughly 1 kilometer path guiding visitors past the most significant fossil clusters with signage explaining the geological history.
- Cerro Madre e Hija: A distinctive twin-peaked hill visible from the trail, used as a natural landmark and photo point across the barren landscape.
- Fossilized Bark Detail: Close-up sections where silica replaced organic material so precisely you can see growth rings and bark patterns, this is my personal favorite moment in the park.
- Steppe Wildlife Sightings: Guanacos and occasionally choique (Darwin's rhea)
- The Petrified Trunks Field: The core attraction, dozens of fossilized Araucaria trunks up to 35 meters long, 3 meters across and 150 million years old, scattered across the steppe in remarkable detail, bark texture included.
- Interpretive Trail Loop: A short, flat, roughly 1 kilometer path guiding visitors past the most significant fossil clusters with signage explaining the geological history.
- Cerro Madre e Hija: A distinctive twin-peaked hill visible from the trail, used as a natural landmark and photo point across the barren landscape.
- Fossilized Bark Detail: Close-up sections where silica replaced organic material so precisely you can see growth rings and bark patterns, this is my personal favorite moment in the park.
- Steppe Wildlife Sightings: Guanacos and occasionally choique (Darwin's rhea) cross the open ground near the visitor area, adapted to the harsh, dry conditions.
- Visitor Center Exhibits: Small but informative displays explaining how a subtropical forest ended up buried and fossilized in what is now arid Patagonian steppe.
- Panoramic Steppe Views: The flat, wide horizon itself, empty and quiet, gives a strong sense of scale and isolation that's rare even by Patagonian standards.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.
Best Backpacking
.jpg)
Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.