Puyango Petrified Forest
Description
The Puyango Petrified Forest is an important paleontological site, it has continental biological remains of fossil and marine woods from 100 million years ago, preserved in the rocks. The forest is part of the UNESCO biosphere reserve and is included in the Tumbesino endemism corridor, hosting endemic dry forest flora and fauna. According to Shoemaker, a noted paleobotanist who studied the area between 1975 and 1976, the amount of petrified logs contained in such a compact area represents one of the largest collections of its kind in the world comparable perhaps to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, United States.
Data Table
| Place | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Machala | 4m |
| Arenillas | 70m |
| Puyango Petrified Forest | 310m |
Photos
El Petrino Trail
Araucarias petrified trunks
Beware the dinosaur
Climbing and Hiking
- Araucaria Hiking Trail: difficulty, very easy; distance 784m; time 35min; elevation 303m.
- El Petrino Hiking Trail: difficulty, easy; distance 1431m; time 1h20min; elevation 303m.
Flora
Giant Petrino, Cavanillesia platanifolia
- How to get
- Distances
- Recommendations
How to get
South coast; 68 kilometers in a straight line south of Machala, almost on the border with Peru; 100 km from Loja.
- “Vía Machala - Arenillas - Alamor” Approach: Take the E25 road that goes towards the south of Machala, Arenillas, and continue in the direction of Alamor. Upon reaching the Puyango River, there is a detour and signs indicating the direction of the Puyango Petrified Forest. The access is paved.
