Jim Gray's Petrified Wood Co

You can’t cruise Route 66 through Arizona without passing a petrified wood shop or two. Each one seems to be in a friendly showdown to catch the eye of travelers with the quirkiest, biggest roadside attractions they can dream up. Among the best of these Mother Road rock shops is Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. in Holbrook, Arizona. Just look for the towering dinosaurs out front, the 2.9-million-year-old alligator, and an impressive spread of natural souvenirs.

With eastern Arizona’s proximity to Petrified Forest National Park, it’s no surprise that rock and petrified wood shops are everywhere. Petrified wood is a local treasure here, created over millions of years as wood transforms into colorful, fossilized stone through mineralization. The wood’s organic matter is slowly replaced by minerals like silica or quartz, preserving it in a vibrant, rocky state. Since it’s illegal to take petrified wood from the park, these shops are your best bet for a legal—and eye-catching—souvenir!

Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. stands out among them all. Outside, you’ll spot dinosaurs left behind from the defunct International Dinosaur Park and Museum of the Americas. Inside, you’ll find fossils, minerals, gems, Native American crafts, and of course, an impressive selection of petrified wood. There’s even a small museum with treasures from around the world.

Originally called the Holbrook Rock Shop, Jim and Cathy Gray opened the Petrified Wood Co. over 50 years ago. Since then, they’ve grown their family business into a global dealer of Arizona’s famed Rainbow Petrified Wood. They own mineral rights on land near the Petrified Forest, digging, cutting, and polishing stunning pieces of petrified wood into everything from furniture and jewelry to one-of-a-kind artworks.

One big reason to pull off Route 66 and explore Jim Gray’s is Wild Bill, a 2.9-million-year-old alligator fossil that’s the main event in their museum. The Grays hauled him from Florida, named him after a family friend, and brought him back to Holbrook. Wild Bill now stars alongside an impressive collection of rocks and petrified wood that’ll leave you marveling at Arizona’s natural beauty.