Arkansas' Oldest State Park Has Lush Forests, Waterfalls, Canyons, And Expansive Overlooks

Arkansas, nicknamed the Natural State, is known for the beauty of its outdoors, including picturesque waterfalls, cave systems, forests, rivers, and mountain ranges. One place that brings all of those natural elements together is Petit Jean State Park, the oldest of Arkansas' 52 state parks.

The park, established by the Arkansas Legislature in 1923 and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1938, spans 2,800 acres and is situated atop Petit Jean Mountain. Its location in the north-central region of the state makes it an easy day trip from Little Rock and Conway, which are among the most populous cities in Arkansas. The park just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, and in recent years, about 800,000 people per year venture up the mountain for a visit.

Visitors to Petit Jean can get sweeping views of the Arkansas River Valley, hike to the 95-foot Cedar Falls, see Native American rock art that's hundreds of years old, and eat classic Southern food at the historic Mather Lodge, among many other activities.

When approaching Petit Jean State Park from the east, visitors will come upon a side road leading to the park's most well-known overlook, Stout's Point. From there, they can see the Arkansas River, as well as miles of forests and farmland. Travelers can also get a glimpse of a mound of earth that local legend says is the gravesite of Petit Jean, the purported namesake for Petit Jean Mountain. The tale goes that a young French woman disguised herself as a cabin boy on a ship headed to America in order to follow a man she loved. She was called Petit Jean, French for "Little John." She eventually made it to Arkansas, but she died from illness and was buried on top of the mountain, according to the folklore.

In addition to viewing that site of romantic legend, visitors to Petit Jean State Park can see remnants of the past that are historically proven. More than 1,000 years ago, the land that's now the state park was home to Native Americans who left behind pictographs, or rock paintings. There are currently 76 known sites inside the park that contain a total of over 1,000 pictographs. The easiest site to view the pictographs is inside a cave-like opening in a rock, called a bluff shelter, that's accessible via the Rock House Cave Trail. The trail is a quarter-mile long and passes by another highlight of the park: mounded geological formations called turtle rocks. 

Other interesting rock formations, like canyons and natural arches, can be found throughout Petit Jean State Park.The 4.5-mile Seven Hollows Trail and the 1-mile Canyon Trail both pass through forested canyons and offer up-close looks at other geological marvels. If visitors prefer a waterfall view, they can opt for the Cedar Falls Trail, a 2-mile path that takes hikers from Mather Lodge into Cedar Creek Canyon and Cedar Falls — one of the tallest and most photographed waterfalls in the state. Visitors can also get a vantage point of Cedar Falls from a drive-up overlook off Highway 154. Another popular overlook, the Mary Ann Richter Overlook, can be found on Red Bluff Drive within the park. It offers expansive views of other nearby mountains, including Mount Nebo and Mount Magazine, which is the highest point in Arkansas and one of the most beautiful places in America's parks. 

The establishment of Petit Jean State Park inspired the creation of a state park system within Arkansas. Petit Jean — along with the healing and relaxing Hot Springs National Park, which was established in 1921 — helped build the state's reputation as an outdoor destination. The work to bolster Arkansas' outdoor industry is ongoing. At a ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of Petit Jean in 2023, Mike Mills, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, said state leaders were "going to make sure the Natural State reaches its full potential to be a true leader in the outdoor recreation industry," according to ArkansasOutside.com.