Petrified Tree

After driving through the Lamar Valley we headed towards Mammoth Hot Springs on the northernmost section of Yellowstone's roads.  Before too long we came to an interesting stop, the Petrified Tree.

The Petrified Tree, located near the Lost Lake trailhead, is an excellent example of an ancient redwood, similar to many found on Specimen Ridge, that is easily accessible to park visitors. The interpretive message here also applies to those trees found on Specimen Ridge.
--from NPS Yellowstone website, Tower-Roosevelt Area section

To reach the tree you drive down a short spur road off of the main highway.  It winds down beside a hill until you reach a small parking lot. I think there is also a trailhead located at that location.  But to reach the tree you backtrack along the road on a boardwalk and then head up and up a short incline on a dirt path.

The tree stands up out of the hillside and is surrounded by a fence.  Apparently there used to be three trees, but the other two have disappeared entirely due to souvenir hunters chipping them to pieces.  When I read that I didn't mind the fence so much.  I guess that it makes sense when there is no ranger or other employee presence in the area and it is open most of the year (since the main road nearby is open year-round).

There is a gate, securely locked in the front of the fence.

We did get our picture taken in front of the tree, though I can't remember if we balanced the camera and used a timer or if someone else took the picture for us.

I also got up close so that I could take some shots without the fence being prominently visible.  You can see the size of the path as we walked back towards our car.

The other side of the valley is visible here.

~Matt