Logs with root systems show that some of the trees grew nearby. Fossil destruction in the Crystal Forest area by souvenir hunters and gem collectors prompted Arizona Territory citizens to petition Congress to preserve the petrified wood sites. Cracks and hollows in logs here once held beautiful clear quartz and amethyst crystals. The Flattops are massive remnants of a once continuous layer of sandstone capping parts of this area. The remaining capstone protects layered deposits long eroded from other parts of the park.
Flattops wilderness campers park here.
The Long Logs and Agate House trails explore part of Rainbow Forest. Iron, manganese, carbon, and other minerals lend bright colors to the petrified wood. Agate House is a partially restored pueblo. The trail through Giant Logs behind the Rainbow Forest Museum follows up and down the slopes. The fence serves as a constant reminder that the petrified wood and all natural and historic objects in the park are preserved and protected by law.