Petrified Wood Park was built from 1930-32 by town men under the command of visionary Ole S. Quammen. "Thirty to forty otherwise unemployed men received sustenance during this period," explains a sign at the site. Quammen, an amateur geologist, had the men scavenge rocks and fossils from the vicinity and haul them back to Lemmon. Their labors yielded a castle, a wishing well, a waterfall, the Lemmon Pioneer Museum, and hundreds of pile sculptures-- all made of petrified wood.

The park became city property in 1954 when it was donated by Quammen's heirs. A plaque honors "Ole S. Quammen, father of Mrs. Harry C. Olson, the creator and donor of this, the world’s largest petrified wood park of its kind." In 2002, extensive repairs and renovations restored the park to its Depression Era glory. While we were there, someone official looking was watering the grass between the rock cones.
A hundred conical sculptures are spread around the park at sizes up to 20-ft. tall. Some are made from petrified wood and others from spherical "cannonballs" -- round rocks from North Dakota's Cannonball River. The tree effect adds to the eerie illusion of a petrified forest, especially since it's artificially constructed in this mostly treeless region of the northern plains. The "trees" are decorated with Christmas lights for an annual holiday "Fantasyland" display.

A building referred to as "the Castle" was crafted from a variety of petrified wood and thousands of pounds of petrified dinosaur and mammoth bones. Inside a room with a gate and spires, dinosaur bones masoned into interior walls.

The Petrified Wood Park is open year round at  500 Main Street, Lemmon, SD (five blocks north of US 12).

There is a museum and gift shop in the park that is open from Memorial Day - Labor Day. Hours are 9 am - 5 pm. Monday thru Saturday and  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Phone: 605-374-3964.

 Read What People are Saying About
The Petrified Wood Park

Best kept secret in South Dakota.  We heard about it for years and also saw it in the South Dakota Magazine.                                                                Tom & Ruth, Canistota, SD

Incredible!                                                                           Paula, Stacy, Nick & Alex, Rhindander, WI

We have stopped every time we go through for the past 20 years.  
                                                        Curt & Sarah, Kalispell, MT

Thank you for preserving these points of interest.       Carl, Deb & Matt, Aberdeen, SD

Very interesting!!!                                    Marvin & Betty, Winter Haven, FL

Beautifully created.                                            Aarey, Queen Creek AZ

It is very cool and unlike anything we have at home.   Sam, Philadelphia, PA

Coolest thing in South Dakota so far!!                   Christian, Roseville, MN

Absolutely wonderful! Really wanted to see it again.  Pat & Mike, Toronto Ontario, Canada

Nice to see the family things.                                         Sara & Krista, Coon Rapids

WOW - Amazing                                                              Sue & Mike, Chippewa Falls, WI

There is nothing to compare.  TOO Cool!!                  David, Fort Pierre, SD

Excellent. Best we've ever seen.                                     Vern & Laura, Fallon, NV

Wonderful - Glad we didn't miss this.                          Dave & Diane, Vancouver, B.C.

Incredible, Amazing for sure.                                        Bart & Lieven, Hombeek, Belgium

Most amazing museum we've ever visited.  Thank You! Kenny & Naomi, Madison, WI