Fallen giants are scattered in a pale sandstone landscape at this petrified forest, 30km southeast of Sarmiento off RN 26. From the visitor center, a trail leads through ethereal grounds with the appearance of a lumberyard gone mad: "wood" chips cover the ground and huge petrified logs, up to 100m in length and 1m wide, are strewn about. The most impressive area of the park has a handful of large trunks set against the red and orange striated bluffs.
Go with your own rental car, or ask at the tourist office in Sarmiento for remise (taxi) rates for the 1½-hour roundtrip. Try to stay through sunset, when the striped bluffs of Cerro Abigarrado and the multihued hills turn brilliantly vivid.
The eager staff at Sarmiento’s tourist office can provide remise rates, maps and lodging information.
Sarmiento is 148km west of Comodoro along RN 26 and RP 20. Etap has buses running daily to Comodoro Rivadavia (AR$230, two hours); its buses to Río Mayo (AR$230, 1½ hours) go at 9:30pm daily.