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Agate House: A Pueblo of Petrified Wood

Discover Agate House in Petrified Forest National Park: A unique pueblo built of petrified wood, reconstructed to reveal ancient lives.

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Agate House, located in Petrified Forest National Park, is a unique partially reconstructed Puebloan building constructed almost entirely of petrified wood around 900 AD and occupied until 1200 AD. Reconstructed in the 1930s, this eight-room structure offers a glimpse into the lives of early inhabitants of the region.

A brief summary to Agate House

  • Holbrook, Arizona, 86025, US

Local tips

  • Bring water and wear sun protection, as the trail to Agate House offers little shade.
  • Stay on the designated trail to protect the fragile environment and preserve the archaeological site.
  • Allow at least 1-2 hours to hike to Agate House and explore the site.
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Getting There

  • Walking

    Agate House is accessed via the Agate House Trail, a 2-mile round trip hike from the Rainbow Forest Museum parking lot. From the parking lot, walk east along Petrified Forest Road over Jim Camp Wash to reach the joint Long Logs-Agate House Trailhead. Follow the trail for 0.6 miles until you reach a fork, then follow the sign to the Agate House Trail. Continue along the trail for another 0.4 miles to reach Agate House. Water, sun protection, and comfortable shoes are strongly recommended.

  • Parking

    Parking for the Agate House Trail is located at the Rainbow Forest Museum parking lot. This parking lot also serves the Giant Logs Trail and the Rainbow Forest Museum. Parking is free. From the parking lot, the Agate House Trail is accessed via a 2-mile round trip hike.

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Discover more about Agate House

Agate House stands as a testament to the ingenuity of the Ancestral Puebloans who inhabited the Petrified Forest area centuries ago. Constructed between 1050 and 1300 AD, the eight-room pueblo is made almost entirely of petrified wood, a readily available resource in this area. The agatized wood was laid in a clay mortar, showcasing an innovative use of materials in place of the more common sandstone. Archaeologists suggest that Agate House was likely a year-round residence for a single family, given its size and the effort required to build and maintain it. Others propose it may have served as a meeting place or for ceremonial purposes. The scarcity of artifacts found at the site suggests that its occupation was relatively brief. The ruins were reconstructed in 1933-34 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) under the direction of C.B. Cosgrove Jr. of the New Mexico Laboratory of Anthropology. During the reconstruction, Room 7 was fully reconstructed with a new roof, while Room 2's walls were rebuilt to a height of five feet, and the remaining walls were rebuilt to a height of two or three feet. While the reconstruction utilized original materials, it is not a completely accurate replication of the original structure, but it allows visitors to envision the daily lives of its inhabitants. The Agate House Trail is a 2-mile round trip hike from the Rainbow Forest Museum parking lot. The trail provides water and sun protection recommendations due to the exposed nature of the hike.

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