21 State Parks in 2021 Challenge – Part 8: Petit Jean
Petit Jean State Park is Arkansas’ very first park. Many of its’ original structures were built by the CCC and still remain. The Park lodge has a restaurant and swimming pool. There are also cabins, RV, and tent camping sites available for rent. Petit Jean is known for its’ brand new interactive visitor’s center, many hiking trails, and picnic and playground area. This is our #8 park in the 21 State Parks in 2021 Challenge.
Petit Jean State Park is located on top of beautiful Petit Jean Mountain at Morrilton, AR. Lake Bailey is nearby and is a great place to fish and boat.
Petit Jean Visitor’s Center
There are several interactive things for kids of all ages to do in the Visitor’s Center. Look around the different exhibits for buttons to activate that have audio or visual special effects. One of the things we enjoy at the visitor’s center is making plant rubbings from metal plates on display. The visitor’s center also has great views of the lake and even has binoculars available for viewing birds and other wildlife.
Hiking Trails at Petit Jean
Cedar Falls Trail
The most popular hiking trail at Petit Jean is the Cedar Falls Trail. It is a rough, steep trail, but you will find several small cascades in the creek, along the way, and at the end you will be rewarded with an amazing view of a 98-foot waterfall.
It is well worth the hike but climbing back out is brutal. During our hike we saw two elderly women hiking with canes and one was on oxygen. We do not recommend this trail if you are in this shape. It is hard for a semi-physically fit person.
Cedar Falls Overlook Trail
This trail is a short stroll down a wooden path to a breathtaking view of Cedar Falls. It is wheelchair accessible and is an easy hike. We recommend doing this trail after doing the Cedar Falls trail to give you the perspective of where you have just been. From the overlook you will be able to see other hikers down below and will have a totally different view of the falls.
CCC Trail
One of the trails we passed by but couldn’t hike on this trip was the CCC Trail. It is a paved trail that is great for wheelchairs, hikers, and bikers. The trail goes around the central area of the park and highlights several of the original park structures. This is on our to do list for the next time we visit this park.
There were so many more hiking trails to see, but we just ran out of time in a single day. We will definitely be back.
Camping and picnicking
This Park is a nice area for camping and picnicking. Of course, Morgan’s favorite place is the playground. There are many picnic tables around. Some were right next to the lake and had beautiful views. Others were in the shade surrounding the playground area. We like to choose one in the shade and have a quick lunch before we enjoy the hiking trails.
Final Thoughts
This Park has way too much to do and see in one day! We highly recommend the Cedar Falls trail if you are physically able. The visitor’s center is a great starting point, as usual, to get a feel for what is in the park. Take time to look at all the original structures including the lodge. On this trip we were not guests at the lodge, but they still allowed us to come in to see all the beautiful woodwork and rockwork inside.
We will come back and hopefully stay in the beautiful lodge one day soon. The State Park lodges fill up quickly and are booked out far in advance so if you are wanting to stay in one, please book it early.
We hope to be headed south for Park #9 in the 21 Arkansas State parks in 2021 Challenge ? Who knows if that will work out, but we will eventually get there. Remember… Life’s Short… Take the Trip!
Ready to start planning your own adventure? Email us at: amberh@destinationsinflorida.com
