State Park · Washington
A high-desert Washington park above the Columbia River at Vantage, built around a National Natural Landmark of 15-million-year-old petrified wood, an interpretive center, and short fossil trails.
Field briefing
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The smart plan is to pair the interpretive center with the Trees of Stone trail, hike in cooler hours because the fossil beds are exposed, and pick up a Discover Pass before you arrive.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Mild and breezy, with good hiking temperatures and desert wildflowers in season.
Pack Sun protection, wind layer, and water even on short trails.
Hot, dry, and exposed, with little shade on the fossil trails.
Pack Maximum water, sun shirt, and an early-or-late hiking plan.
Cooler and comfortable, with crisp air over the Columbia.
Pack Layers, sun protection, and a wind shell for the bluffs.
Cold and quiet, with the interpretive center open on a reduced seasonal schedule.
Pack Insulation, wind protection, and a check on center hours before driving.
Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail
The signature walk, about two miles west of the interpretive center, passing dozens of exposed petrified logs in an ancient fossil bed first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Center
Displays of about 30 varieties of petrified wood, plus the story of the Ice Age floods that carved this stretch of the Columbia. The center also has a day-use and picnic area on the bluff.
Columbia River bluff trails
Roughly three miles of trail total above the river, with big high-desert views and access to the broader Wanapum recreation area on the water.
Keep one flexible slot in the day, because weather, parking, and energy usually decide more than the map does. For one day in Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, make Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail the non-negotiable, add Ginkgo Petrified Forest Interpretive Center only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Columbia River bluff trails as the flexible finish.
Turn Ginkgo Petrified Forest's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
2 quick tools, already seeded for Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park packing list
0 of 15 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
15 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Ginkgo Petrified Forest asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Ginkgo itself is day-use, but the connected Wanapum Recreation Area on the Columbia has a campground a few miles south, which makes the most natural base. Ellensburg, about 30 miles west, is the nearest real town for hotels, food, and fuel.
Camping reservations
The petrified-forest unit is for day visits and the interpretive center. For camping, use the Wanapum Recreation Area campground a short drive south on the reservoir.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
Washington State Parks books reservable campsites up to nine months ahead, with same-day campsite reservations available until 2 p.m.
Where to book or verify
Official Washington State Parks reservation portal for Wanapum and other campgrounds.
Park profile with the interpretive center, trails, hours, and Discover Pass details.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the last mile as carefully as the destination.
Airports, roads, entrances, and local movement belong in the same plan.
Getting there
Arrival note
Ginkgo sits just off Interstate 90 at Vantage, where the highway crosses the Columbia River about 30 miles east of Ellensburg.
Car strategy
A car is required, and the interpretive center, the picnic bluff, and the Trees of Stone trail are a couple of miles apart, so plan to drive between them.
Pair this with lodging: the simplest base is the one that removes a real morning problem, not just the one nearest the map pin.
Yes. Washington requires a Discover Pass for day-use parking, currently about $10 for a single day or $30 for an annual pass.
No. Collecting petrified wood inside the park is prohibited because it is a protected National Natural Landmark. You can see and touch displays at the interpretive center.
Short. The Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail is about 1.25 miles, and the park has roughly three miles of trail total, so it works well as a half-day geology stop.