Petrified Wood Park

Petrified Wood Park

The northeastern part of the Junggar Basin is the area with the widest distribution and the largest number of petrified wood fossils discovered in Xinjiang so far. Its vast scale, large quantity, and extensive coverage are also rare both domestically and internationally. The petrified wood and the Colorful City (Wucai Cheng) both date back to the Jurassic period, 137 to 195 million years ago. During a major catastrophe on Earth at that time, the vast and numerous trees around the lake were deeply buried underground. Subjected to high temperature and pressure, they carbonized, and over millions of years gradually became petrified, evolving into what we now call petrified wood. The eastern Junggar Basin also has occurrences of iron-wood and calcium-wood.

Due to severe theft and loss of petrified wood, the Fuyun County Party Committee and County Government have taken measures for off-site centralized protection. A Petrified Wood Park has been built 500 meters west of National Highway 216 in Qiaerkutu Town and is now open to visitors.