Petit Jean State Park

PARK HISTORY & INFORMATION

Petit Jean Mountain is a special place – an unforgettable place – known for the legend of Petit Jean, the story of a French girl who disguised herself as a boy and secretly accompanied her sweetheart, an early explorer, to the New World and to this mountain.


Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas’s first and flagship state park, enhances this 300–year–old legend with windswept views, enchanting woodlands laced with streams and wildflowers, and a spectacular 95-foot waterfall - Cedar Falls.

This park is a place where nature over time has formed sheer bluffs, Cedar Creek Canyon and the Seven Hollows, such distinctive features as Bear Cave, the Grotto and Natural Bridge, and whimsical formations we call Turtle Rocks and Carpet Rocks.


Rock House Cave is not a true cave, but a large rock shelter. It is also the premier spot in the state for viewing Native American rock art- created over 500 years ago. This trail also includes some of the most interesting geological formations in the park; Turtle Rocks. 

This trail winds along a scenic section of Cedar Creek above Cedar Falls. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930's, this trail's rock steps and bluffs create a few difficult places. The mountain stream, high bluffs and thick vegetation make Cedar Creek Trail perfect for experiencing local bird and plant life. Cedar Falls is a 95-foot waterfall, one of the tallest continuously flowing waterfalls in the state.

MY ADVENTURES

Arrived at the park around 2pm after a 6 hour drive from Dallas. It was super hot outside already so I packed my backpack with extra water, got my cameras (yes I took more than one), lathered up with sunscreen and hit the trails!!!

First I stopped off at the burial site of Jean Petit and a gorgeous overlook of the valley & river below. As I drove up the mountain I passed large cow farms and open fields. The air smelled a little like a farm but the grounds were covered with tiny yellow flowers!!!! Lots and lots of flowers. There were so many tiny flowers that the fields were yellow. 

My next stop was to Cedar Falls Overlook-- seeing the 95 foot waterfall from the viewing deck was super cool. I noticed there was also another viewing deck across the canyon. So off into the woods I went, hiking!! I stopped to eat my lunch (my fav- PB&J) next to the creek- pretty sweet. The continued hiking following Cedar Creek, crossed a bridge then hiked some more. Finally getting to the other side, it was great!!! I really enjoying hiking in the woods- it was much much cooler beneath the shade of dense the trees than just being outside in the beating hot sun. Viewing the falls from the opposite side was definitely worth the hike!!

Then I hiked back to the car and headed to Mather Lodge. Walked and hiked around a bit more. Drove around the park to various overlooks and even a drive around the mountain.

After driving in the mountains I went to Rock House Cave- to get to the cave required a short hike but it was different than the lush dense forest. I hiked over huge rocks that look like turtle shells and the rocks are even named Turtle Rocks! At the cave I was able to see Indian drawings up close.