Where to Find Petrified Wood near Gallup, NM
12 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Gallup report petrified wood. The closest is Zuni Mountains, about 36 miles out (44 min drive).
Petrified wood is ancient wood replaced cell by cell with silica. It concentrates where volcanic ash buried forests, and weathered pieces collect as float on desert slopes and in washes.
Every petrified wood spot within 150 miles of Gallup
Best spotZuni MountainsCibola County, New Mexico · 36 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1
Horse Camp CanyonCatron County, New Mexico · 73 mi awayPermission required · Agatized Wood- QuemadoCatron County, New Mexico · 83 mi awayPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1
- NW San Juan CountySan Juan County, New Mexico · 85 mi awayPermission required · Chert, Garnet, Jasper +2
Rio Puerco ValleyBernalillo County, New Mexico · 106 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +2- AlbuquerqueSandoval County, New Mexico · 108 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood
- Red Rock SpringSocorro County, New Mexico · 115 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Picture Wood, Petrified Cycad, Petrified Palm
- Los LunasValencia County, New Mexico · 117 mi awayPublic access · Red Agate, Banded Agate, Apache Tear +2
- Pajarito MesaBernalillo County, New Mexico · 117 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Agate, Jasper
- Best spotJemez National Recreation AreaSandoval County, New Mexico · 120 mi awayPublic access · Obsidian, Opalized Wood
- Isleta PuebloBernalillo County, New Mexico · 124 mi awayPermission required · Opal, Opalized Wood, Agatized Wood
- Best spotMount ChalchihuitlSanta Fe County, New Mexico · 148 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Petrified Wood +1
Types of petrified wood reported near Gallup
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
- Agatized Wood7
- Opalized Wood3
- Petrified Wood3
- Agatized Picture Wood1
- Petrified Cycad1
- Petrified Palm1
Petrified Wood near Gallup FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Gallup?+
12 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Gallup report petrified wood. The closest is Zuni Mountains in Cibola County, roughly 36 miles away (44 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Gallup?+
8 of the 12 spots here sit on land mapped as publicly accessible. Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and Forest Service land with limits set by the local field office; national parks and most state parks are closed to collecting. Confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.
How can I tell petrified wood from plain rock?+
Look for wood structure: parallel grain lines, growth rings on cut ends, and bark texture on the outside. Petrified palm shows a distinctive rod-and-dot pattern instead of rings. Plain jasper and chert show none of these, even when the color looks woody.
How far from Gallup do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 36 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 148 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Gallup
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Hunt petrified wood around Gallup with the map in your pocket
RockHoundR shows these spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, weather, and a log for your finds.
