The Unique Rock Formations Along The Petrified Forest Trail In Mississippi Are Downright Otherworldly
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published May 17, 2022
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Daniella DiRienzo
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Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Walking amongst ancient trees that have turned into stone over the course of millions of years might sound like the plot of a sci-fi movie, but it’s not. It’s exactly what you’ll be doing when you visit the Mississippi Petrified Forest. This unique hiking trail in Mississippi is an otherworldly experience.
Located in Flora, the Mississippi Petrified Forest is not your typical forest. Sure, it’s filled with trees, but it’s also filled with huge stone logs millions of years in the making.
In all, there are three types of fossilized wood: petrified wood, mummified wood, and submerged forests.
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It takes a long time for wood to turn into petrified wood. The stone formations in the Mississippi Petrified Forest took more than 30 million years to form!
During the slow process, which is called permineralization, wood and bark is slowly replaced by minerals, resulting in rocky formations the same size and shape of the original tree.
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Today, visitors can get a close-up view of the ancient stone formations by following a self-guided nature trail.
Visitors can take part in fun activities, like gem fluming (similar to gem mining). The grounds also include a picnic area as well as a campground.
Mississippi Petrified Forest is open year-round, closing only on select holidays. Have any questions? Call (601) 879-8189. You can also visit the Mississippi Petrified Forest website.
Large rock formations in Mississippi are pretty rare, but they do exist in a few places, including Tishomingo State Park. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, the park boasts a terrain unlike any other in the state and even offers rock climbing!
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