Petit Jean State Park - Located Near Morrilton, Arkansas

Located near Morrilton, Arkansas, Petit Jean State Park has had an interesting and beautiful history since the 1700's. Petit Jean gets it's name from the legend of a young French girl who disguised herself as a boy so she could follow her fiancé on an exploration trip to the "New World". Petit Jean managed to keep her identity a secret until she became very ill just before the return trip to France. Petit Jean died in Arkansas and is reportedly buried on a bluff along the Arkansas River.

In the 1930's the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) constructed many parks around the country, including Petit Jean. The CCC was a program started by Franklin D. Roosevelt to employ young men who had few other opportunities to find jobs during the depression. These men learned skills while building parks and public facilities and usually attended classes to continue their education at the same time. The young men sent the majority of their wages home to help support their families.

Mather Lodge was built by the CCC and has been expanded and modernized and is in use today. Currently there are 24 guest rooms and a full service restaurant in Mather Lodge. Through out the park there are 20 cabins that range from rustic to modern with fully equipped kitchens. The cabins are available for year round use with porches to catch the cool mountain breezes and fireplaces for the cold winter nights.

In addition to the lodge and cabins, there are 125 campsites at Petit Jean. No matter what camping experience you enjoy there is a campsite for you. Some have just a tent pad and picnic table all the way up to campsites with full hookups including water, electricity and sewage. For the beginning camper, the park has rent-a-camp and rent-a-teepee sites that include all camping equipment.

The adventurous park visitor can find plenty of things to keep them busy with more than 20 miles of hiking trails. These trails lead to a 95-foot waterfall or to interesting features such as Rock House Cave or Bear Cave. Other hikes take you to pioneer cabins and through the CCC camp.

Two lakes provide boating and fishing and swimming pools provide a safe and clean place to swim or just relax while sunbathing after your day's activities.

The park's geology, wildlife, plant life and history are interpreted for you at the nature center. During the busy summer months, the park employees offer a variety of nature programs. For children there are special programs to earn Junior Naturalist, Explorer or Adventurer badges.