Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park covers about 6,000 acres across the Columbia River and is one of the most unusual petrified wood areas in the world, with a remarkably diverse fossil flora only rarely preserved in lava flows. More than 200 varieties of wood have been identified here, including ginkgo, the “sacred tree of China,” which no longer exists in the wild state. Although petrified wood had been reported here as early as 1898, its abundance in this vicinity was first recognized in 1927 during construction of the highway between Ellensburg and Vantage. Development of the park began in the 1930s through a cooperative program involving the State of Washington, the National Park Service, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission later developed the modern Interpretive Center to present the area’s geological story. Because of its unique character, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park has been designated a Registered Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.