This geopark is located 150 km north of Qitai County in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It became a national geopark in 2004. The main geological features are the fossils and geomorphology. In a long narrow gully zone that is 5 km long and 2.33 km wide, nearly 1,000 petrified trees have been exposed. The main species are cypress, primitive spruce and South American fir. The ages of the trees range from hundreds to thousands of years, and most are approximately 1 m in diameter. The largest is more than 2 m in diameter and 26 m long. Dinosaur fossils are also present. The area has the peculiar Yadang landscape and colourful rocks.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2020). Qitai Silicified Wood-Dinosaur National Geopark, Xinjiang. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2000
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2000
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2537-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2538-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences