Paul Bunyan's Woodpile - 30 Million Year Old Geological Feature

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When you hear the name Paul Bunyan, you think of a giant lumberjack cutting down trees with one swing of his ax, swinging full sized trees over his shoulder, and stacking massive piles of wood. So, when I saw the BLM sign pointing to the Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile, I always wondered what this site was all about.

To be honest, I have driven by this location many times and never took the time to stop, because I thought seeing a big pile of wood, was, well, not too exciting. Boy, I was wrong.

First, the Paul Bunyan’s Wood Pile isn’t real wood, it’s a natural geological formation that formed about 30 million years ago, when a lava flow cooled and created what looks like lava logs. These lava logs are about a foot in diameter with some measuring up to 15 feet in length. The logs are neatly stacked like a massive wood pile.

Woodpile Trailhead:

The trailhead offers plenty of parking for multiple vehicles. There is also an area with a picnic table for those who wish to relax and have lunch. To get to the woodpile you must hike a 1 mile long, moderately difficult trail. The trail starts off with a little elevation gain and makes its way through the rolling hills and follows a small wash. As you continue up the trail, you will eventually see what looks like rock fins on the mountain side. At this point, you will experience the most elevation gain as you hike up several switchbacks to get up to the woodpile. You will have the option to hike to an “overlook” or you can continue up the switchbacks to get above the woodpile.

If you plan on hiking around on the woodpile, please be sure you have the proper footwear as the lava rock and the dirt are very loose and slippery.

Location:

The turnoff to Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile is located approximately 14.6 miles from Eureka, Utah. From the turnoff it is 3.2 miles to the trailhead. The dirt road leading to the trailhead is well graded. Most vehicles should be able to make the drive in dry conditions. On my visit there was a van, crossover, and several trucks in the parking area.

Safety:

The Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile hiking trail is located in a desolate desert environment. If you plan on hiking this trail, be sure you have plenty of water, good shoes, a hat, and sunscreen. The whole area around the trail has been devastated by the many fires of the last several years. There is little to no shade on the trail. The best time of year to hike this trail is early spring, or fall.