Petrified Forest

This is a nice little detour off the main highway. The gift shop and museum areas are very nice. Items and the tours are reasonable. The nature trail was nice and peaceful except for the sand fly that stalked us, but what are you gonna do? :)

What a wonderful little gem just a short drive outside of Jackson. My boyfriend and I went here looking for something to do on a nice day that was special to Mississippi. I remember a friend recommended it and I also saw a Groupon deal so we decided to go.
It’s about a 30min drive north west from Jackson. Plenty of parking. It’s a self guided tour and they give you a little brochure to help you learn about the Petrified Forest along the way. The trail is about half an hour to walk through and is dog friendly so we brought our dog. (Be warned that there is a cat on the property if your dog is not good around cats). It really is quite beautiful over there and well worth the trip.
They have a little indoor gem display which is quite fascinating. And an excellent gift shop. Go check it out if you need something different to do! And enjoy some of the beauty of Mississippi.

So many memories here! I’ve been visiting since I was 14 with my grandparents so I go as much as possible now that I’m an adult. Love sharing my experiences to new people who didn’t even know we had a petrified forest or a really great gem/​crystal shop. My papaw got me into collecting minerals so it’s nice to walk in and remember my childhood with him. Everyone who works here is always nice and helpful, always down for a good conversation and sharing stories of the area.
If you’re traveling into Mississippi, definitely stop here to get that great southern hospitality you always hear about, light refreshments, a nice walk full of rich history and gorgeous petrified wood. At the end of your self tour, there is a really great room full of fossils and such that’s only really accessible when you walk though the forest!
When you do go, please be respectful of the area and the good vibes others are trying to enjoy, even when they are shopping for new little crystals!

We stopped in on a whim after seeing a sign from the road. I had no idea what a petrified forrest would entail, but it was pretty cool! Basically its a bunch of logs on the ground that have been petrified over time and are hard as stone. After paying the entrance fee of $ 7 you’ll receive a guidebook that gives you facts about each of the numbered points throughout the forest.
It would take you about 45 minutes to walk through at a leisurely pace. We came in January, but I imagine the foliage would be beautiful during the warmer months. The gift shop was really interesting and the older gentleman who worked there was very friendly and gave us some recommendations of things to do on our trip.

Perfect privately owned park in Mississippi close to Jackson and Vicksburg. Wonderful petrified forest and logs in their natural setting. Many logs still in the ground. Nice half mile trail and campground available. $ 7
They also have an extensive selection jewelry, beads, and rocks, in their gift shop and visitor center

A very cool trip not far from Jackson! Definitely worth a visit.
The trail is around six blocks long. It is mostly paved, but there is a section that is just sand. There’s a guidebook that accompanies the trip that explains everything that you’re seeing. Everyone that came with me loved it!

This was a fun spot to spend a chunk of my Saturday. The trail was probably ½ mile or so long and has 26 sights to see (and a booklet to read along at each sight). The trail was neat, but the gift shop/​fossil shop was the highlight. It had dinosaur fossils, shark teeth, and every kind of gemstone imaginable. To walk through the trail, you have to pay $ 7, but honestly it’s worth it. The trail is mostly paved (and handicap accessible!), and what isn’t paved is sand/​dirt and easy to follow (there are fences throughout the entire trail). They have an outdoor auditorium for field trips, as well, and preschoolers get in for free!

Interesting privately owned park. Worth the entry fee and the time to walk the trail. Employees nice and helpful. There are some very good examples of petrified trees. They have an interesting museum and shop. I didn’t check out the other areas of the park. Mosquito spray a must. If you like birds, take your binoculars, there are numerous species present.

Stayed here in the campground July 3^rd to 6^th while visiting friends close by. A small privately owned park that offers 11 RV sites in a wooded area (not very level) with 50 amp full hookups, tent camping, pets welcome, gemstone fluming, picnic area, fossil museum displays, an easy walking nature trail about 6 city blocks long and a gift and rock shop. Kind of rough RV sites but ok and nice people.