Akal Wood Fossil Park — Attraction in Rajasthan

Akal Wood Fossil Park is located in Akal village of Jaisalmer district, nearly 18 Kms. from Jaisalmer city on Jaisalmer – Barmer road. It is extended in 104 hactares. The whole area is now preserved for posterity as a natural wonder. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) declared the site a National Geological Monument in 1972. Currently, The park is maintained by Forest Department.

The exposed tree trunks have been protected by iron grill cages with tin sheet roofing. The terrain is barren and rocky. Wood Fossils of Akal are an example where the process of petrification took precedence over disintegration of organic matter and fossilized the wood. The fossilization took place about 180 million years ago, and the whole forest composed of huge trees was petrified. The presence of gigantic trees suggests that land that is desert today had different hot and humid climate which supported a luxuriant forest. These tree trunks were buried in sediments in a horizontal from and petrified. Subsequent activities caused shifting and upheaval of the sandy basin bringing these fossils to the surface. These now stand exposed in the present from due to weathering by wind and erosion by water.

There are total 18 Woods Fossils are visible on the surface which are well exposed, the largest of which is 13.40 m in length and 0.40 m in width. The fossils date back 180 million years. There are more wood fossils lying deep under the surface. The park is open to visitors throughout the week from 8 AM to 6 PM (on Wednesday park is open from 8 AM to 11.30 AM). A nominal entrance fee is charged for Indian students, Indian tourist and Foreign tourist respectively. There is a small museum near the entrance which showcases photographs of fossils along with brief descriptions.

Also Forest department made beautiful Eco huts at high elevations which gives magnificent view of the whole terrains. Overall a great place to visit with...

There are total 18 Woods Fossils are visible on the surface which are well exposed, the largest of which is 13.40 m in length and 0.40 m in width. The fossils date back 180 million years. There are more wood fossils lying deep under the surface. The park is open to visitors throughout the week from 8 AM to 6 PM (on Wednesday park is open from 8 AM to 11.30 AM). A nominal entrance fee is charged for Indian students, Indian tourist and Foreign tourist respectively. There is a small museum near the entrance which showcases photographs of fossils along with brief descriptions.

Also Forest department made beautiful Eco huts at high elevations which gives magnificent view of the whole terrains. Overall a great place to visit with family and friendThere are total 18 Woods Fossils are visible on the surface which are well exposed, the largest of which is 13.40 m in length and 0.40 m in width. The fossils date back 180 million years. There are more wood fossils lying deep under the surface. The park is open to visitors throughout the week from 8 AM to 6 PM (on Wednesday park is open from 8 AM to 11.30 AM). A nominal entrance fee is charged for Indian students, Indian tourist and Foreign tourist respectively. There is a small museum near the entrance which showcases photographs of fossils along with brief descriptions.

Also Forest department made beautiful Eco huts at high elevations which gives magnificent view of the whole terrains. Overall a great place to visit with...

Akal Wood Fossil Park is a National Geological Monument of India located in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. It is also a Biodiversity Heritage Site. It is 21 hectares in extent and is located in Akal village, 17–18 km southeast of Jaisalmer city, and 1 km off the NH-68 Jaisalmer-Barmer road, on a stretch of about 10 km2 of bare hillside. The terrain is barren and rocky.

The park lies in Jaisalmer's fossil belt, a region noted to have the potential for geological parks.Fossils and footprints of pterosaurs have been found in the nearby Thaiyat area.

The park contains fossils of Pterophyllum, Ptilophyllum, Equisetites species and dicotyledonous wood and gastropod shells of the Early Jurassic period. There are about a dozen fossilised wood logs lying horizontally oriented in random directions, the largest of which is 13.4 m in length and 0.9 m in width. There are a total of 25 petrified tree trunks. The fossils date back 180 million years.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) declared the site a National Geological Monument in 1972. The park was maintained by GSI till 1985, when maintenance was handed over to the Forest Department of Government of Rajasthan. Now, the park is maintained by the authorities of the Desert National Park. The exposed tree trunks have been protected by iron grill cages with tin...