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  Petit Jean State Parks
    
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
All about Deer
                                    Friday, December 12, 2025
                                            / 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            In this program you will learn all about the amazing mammal, deer! Discover their diet, habitat, behaviors, and how they survive harsh winters as non-hibernators. Explore deer pelts, antlers, and…
                            
                        
            
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        Legends of Petit Jean
                                    Friday, December 12, 2025
                                            / 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Petit Jean, a strange and fascinating mountain with many natural wonders, but that isn’t all that is fascinating. Meet a park interpreter to discover some stories surrounding the naming of this…
                            
                        
            
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        What's for Lunch
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 5:30 a.m. - 6 a.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            We have 8,000 gallons of aquariums, filled with many of the fish species found in Lake Dardanelle. Join park staff in the visitor center as they feed the fish live food. See for yourself, what’s for…
                            
                        
            
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        Legacy of Mather Lodge
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Join a park interpreter for a tour of this architectural park gem. Discover some secrets of the past and gain insight into the undergone changes of one of Arkansas’ most treasured landmarks.
                            
                        
            
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        Merry Mountain Biking 101
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Cane Creek State Park is the destination in December for fun-filled, hands-on demonstration of cycling. Meet a park interpreter to discover the working parts of your bicycle, as well as safety tips…
                            
                        
            
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        Bird Beak Buffet
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            You can learn a lot about a bird by just looking at their beaks. Meet a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the visitor center to see the different ways birds use their beaks to eat.
                            
                        
            
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        Wood Ornament Decorating
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Join a park interpreter to decorate a winter-themed wooden ornament! Using the beauty of Lake Sylvia's wildlife as inspiration, you will paint a winter scene on a wooden ornament. Get in the spirit as…
                            
                        
            
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        Stories of Lake Dardanelle
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Exploration, opportunity, and progress forged the culture you find here today. Meet a park interpreter in the visitor center Orientation Room to hear some stories of the past that create the wonderful…
                            
                        
            
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        Dutch Oven Cooking Taste Test
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            For centuries, the Dutch oven has been a staple cooking utensil of the people of Arkansas. The unique flavor and texture of food cooked in a cast-iron oven is unique and delicious. Meet a park…
                            
                        
            
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        A Railroad Christmas Celebration
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025
                                            / 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Get into the holiday spirit with the staff at the Mammoth Spring State Park. Activities include a guided hike around spring lake, Christmas caroling at the Spring and a tour of the 1886 Frisco Train…
                            
                        
            
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        Geminid Meteor Shower Viewing
                                    Saturday, December 13, 2025 - Sunday, December 14, 2025
                                            / 11:45 p.m. - 1 a.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Try to catch a glimpse the Geminid meteor shower at its peak! Mount Magazine State Park offers some of the darkest skies in Arkansas and is a great place
to experience this special event. Be sure…
                            
                        
            
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        Camouflage Look & Learn Table
                                    Sunday, December 14, 2025
                                            / 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            What is camouflage and what is it for? Animals use it to survive in the wild by blending into their surroundings. Visit the park interpreter’s Look & Learn at the visitor center to learn about the…
                            
                        
            
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        Makin' Tracks
                                    Sunday, December 14, 2025
                                            / 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Tracks, tracks everywhere, but not an animal in sight. That's ok! The tracks of animals can tell us a lot about how they live, how they look, and most importantly, where they've been! Meet a park…
                            
                        
            
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        Winter Crafting with a Park Interpreter
                                    Sunday, December 14, 2025
                                            / 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Get crafty with a park interpreter at Pinnacle Mountain State Park as we learn more about the park and its changes throughout the seasons!
                            
                        
            
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        Pelican Party
                                    Sunday, December 14, 2025
                                            / 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Join a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the visitor center for a celebration of one of Lake Dardanelle State Park's most surprising seasonal visitors - the American white pelican!…
                            
                        
            
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        What's for Lunch
                                    Tuesday, December 16, 2025
                                            / 5:30 a.m. - 6 a.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            We have 8,000 gallons of aquariums, filled with many of the fish species found in Lake Dardanelle. Join park staff in the visitor center as they feed the fish live food. See for yourself, what’s for…
                            
                        
            
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        Hidden Creatures
                                    Tuesday, December 16, 2025
                                            / 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Humans wear camouflage to blend in while hunting and sometimes just for style, but animals have to use camouflage to survive in the wild. Meet a park interpreter in the visitor center Orientation Room…
                            
                        
            
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        Cherokee Games
                                    Thursday, December 18, 2025
                                            / 12 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Have you ever wondered about the daily lives of the Cherokee who inhabited this area before removal, long before this area was a park? Meet a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the…
                            
                        
            
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        Legacy of Mather Lodge
                                    Friday, December 19, 2025
                                            / 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Join a park interpreter for a tour of this architectural park gem. Discover some secrets of the past and gain insight into the undergone changes of one of Arkansas’ most treasured landmarks.
                            
                        
            
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        Catch of the Day
                                    Friday, December 19, 2025
                                            / 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
                                                
            
                                                                            Thanks to the healthy fishery of Lake Dardanelle, you can experience the thrill of nature and the success of the catch. Join a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the visitor center to…
                            
                        
            
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