The Fossilized Ancient Giants of Calistoga, Defying Time (26 photos + 1 video)

Deep underground, the same energy that powers the famous thermal springs of Calistoga, California, still bubbles today. But millions of years ago, its power crashed to the surface, causing an incredible transformation: at the behest of an ancient volcano, the flourishing forest became an eternal stone monument to itself.





This happened three and a half million years ago, when a catastrophic eruption devastated and forever buried a grove of majestic sequoias under a layer of ash. Eons later, in 1857, people first discovered their petrified statues and began the decades-long task of bringing these ancient giants back from oblivion.



The phenomenon of wood petrification is not unique. Trapped in a volcanic atmosphere without access to air, wood is gradually, molecule by molecule, replaced by minerals, primarily silica. This process, lasting thousands of years, creates a perfect stone cast, carefully preserving the smallest details: the texture of the bark, the pattern of tree rings, the shape of knots.

Such petrified groves are found all over the world, but the Calistoga Forest is striking in its sheer scale. The redwoods here were truly colossal, and scientists estimate that some were up to two millennia old when they died. These stone giants are among the largest in the world.





This place had a turbulent history. It changed hands many times until it became a cozy private museum. In the 1880s, Robert Louis Stevenson wandered the paths of the stone forest, immortalizing his impressions and the image of its eccentric owner in "The Silverado Settlers." Today, the writer's memory is preserved by a tree bearing his name.

A new chapter in the forest's glory began in 1914 with the arrival of Ollie Boki. She was a master of public relations: on her initiative, one petrified tree trunk was sent to New York, while another became the star of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.



Today, a kilometer-long route has been paved through this unique open-air museum. Walking along it, you can admire the stone giants, many of which are still only half-freed from their earthen captivity. You can conclude your journey through millions of years in the gift shop, which displays a collection of fossils from around the world.





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