Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is a 7,470-acre park with year-round camping at Wanapum recreational area. The park features 27,000 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Wanapum Reservoir on the Columbia River. Petrified wood was discovered in the region in the early 1930s, which led to creation of the park as a national historic preserve. Ginkgo Petrified Forest is a registered national natural landmark. It is regarded as one of the most unusual fossil forests in the world.

Park hours/updates:

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.

Camping at Wanapum:Check-in time: 2:30 p.m.Check-out time: 1 p.m. Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Wildlife Mammals Birds Fish & Sea Life. Badgers. Bobcats. Coyotes. Deer or Elk. Marmots. Muskrats. Rabbits. Raccoons. Skunks. Chukars. Crows or Ravens. Doves or Pigeons. Ducks. Eagles. Geese. Gulls. Hawks. Herons. Hummingbirds. Jays. Owls. Quail. Snipes. Woodpeckers. Wrens. Clams. Bass. Bluegill. Bullhead. Catfish. Crappie. Perch. Salmon. Steelhead. Sturgeon. Trout. Walleye

Environmental Features Physical Features Plant Life . Douglas Fir. Ponderosa Pine. Apple. Ash. Birch. Maple. Oak. Poplar. Lupines. Paintbrush. Thistle. Poison Oak

The park was set aside as a historic preserve when remains of a fossil forest were unearthed during highway construction in the 1930s. Petrified wood from many different trees are common in the area, but specimens of petrified Ginkgo are rare. Many buildings on the premises owe their origin to the work of the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps.

Camping Fees : Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations). An additional $1 per night is added to the basic camping fees listed below at this high-use park. Basic camping fees are:

Standard campsite, $15.

Utility campsite, $21.

Primitive campsite (accessible by motorized/non-motorized vehicles) and for water trail camping, $10

An additional $3 fee (standard) or $5 fee (utility) may be charged for select premium campsites at some parks.

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations: Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours : Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Length of stay: you may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park during the summer; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31. Campsite Information : The Wanapum recreation area has 50 utility sites and two restrooms. All sites have full hook-ups. Maximum site length is 60 feet (may have limited availability). Tenters are allowed to use the sites but must pay full fee.

The campground is subject to high winds, especially in the evening. Campers should secure tents and light-weight articles.

The park is heavily used during Gorge concert season. Facilities fill early on weekends.

To reserve a campsite for dates between May 15 and September 15, call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

There is one watercraft launch with two ramps in the park.

A daily watercraft launching permit and a trailer dumping permit is available at the park. Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.