If you saw a giant dinosaur eating a woman on the side of a road, you’d probably be pretty petrified. But don’t be scared because that is exactly what you’ll find at this Route 66 roadside attraction: a giant dinosaur eating a woman and petrified wood (plus ostriches, sabertooth tigers, mannequins, more dinosaurs…). We’re at Stewart’s Petrified Wood in Holbrook, Arizona, one of the kitschiest rock shops on Route 66.
Petrified wood shops abound in eastern Arizona. It only makes sense as it’s a commodity that is prolific in the area, especially within the popular Petrified Forest National Park.
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What is petrified wood? Petrified wood is a type of fossilized wood that transforms over millions of years. Through a process called mineralization, organic matter in the wood gradually gets replaced by minerals, often silica or quartz, preserving the original structure and cellular details of the wood.
It is illegal to take specimens out of the park, so it’s only natural that shops surround the area that sell petrified wood of all shapes and sizes to tourists who want to take home a souvenir. And many of those shops do anything they can to lure you from the road and make sure their shop stands out above the rest.
Stewart’s Petrified Wood in Holbrook, Arizona is one of those shops that makes sure you can’t miss it from the road.
Charles and Gazell Stewart opened this business in 1994. Step inside and you’ll find all the things for sale you’d find at any other shop of its kind: meteorites, dinosaur bones, rocks, gems, and, of course, petrified wood.
But to make this shop stand out from the rest, Charles created a menagerie of handmade roadside oddities to sprinkle across the property.
There are dinosaurs, ostriches, saber-toothed tigers, mannequins, and more. One of the most recognized sites, visible from nearby I-40, is a tall T-Rex dinosaur on a hill that is gnawing on a female mannequin. There’s also an on-site ostrich farm where you can feed the birds or buy their eggs.
If you want to see this dino-mite roadside attraction, I’d plan to visit soon before it goes extinct. Many of the dinos and other creatures have seen better days, some have been removed completely, and others are starting to crumble. “For Sale” signs are also tacked up around the property. So this tourist trap’s days might be heading the way of the dinosaurs.
More photos of Stewart’s Petrified Wood in Holbrook, Arizona
Love this Arizona Route 66 roadside attraction? Here are some more nearby attractions to add to your Route 66 road trip itinerary:
Painted Desert Indian Center, Geronimo Trading Post, Rainbow Rock Shop, Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co, the World’s Longest Map of Route 66, the Joe & Aggies Cafe Mural, Butterfield Stage Co Steakhouse, and Holbrook Wigwam Village Motel.
Stewart’s Petrified Wood on Route 66
Address: Washboard Rd, Holbrook, AZ 86025
Cost: Free to See (souvenirs are extra)
Hours: 9am-6pm daily
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