
Discover Events

Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
Map Reading Basics
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
GPS is a handy tool to use getting from one place to another, but what if you are in an area where your GPS does not work? How do you navigate? With a
map and a compass! Join a park interpreter to…
Read more
Wildlife Bingo
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
You can explore nature at this park because Lake Dardanelle State Park’s diverse habitats sustain many living creatures. Join a park interpreter in the visitor center Orientation Room and discover…
Read more
Dixie's Home Front
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
With their fathers, brothers, and husbands gone off to fight in the Civil War, Southern women had to do not only their own housework, but learn to take on the jobs of their male relatives, too! Join a…
Read more
Nature Jeopardy
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Here is a chance for you and your family to be in the “hot seat!” Bring your whole family to this fun game and challenge your brain on every aspect of the nature of Arkansas. Meet a park interpreter…
Read more
Talking Turkey
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Cherokees who historically inhabited this area were heavily dependent on nature for their livelihood. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater as she explains the importance the wild turkey had to…
Read more
GSI: Game Scene Investigation
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Have you ever wanted
to be a detective? Get your chance to use your investigative skills at Bull Shoals-White
River State Park to determine what happened on a snowy day. The park
interpreter will…
Read more
The Moth Stop
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 6:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
When the sun sets, Mount Magazine State Park comes alive with fluttering wings! Join a park interpreter at a glowing moth cloth to meet the hidden pollinators of the night and discover their…
Read more
Fire Building Basics
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
What’s a camping trip without a campfire? From making s’mores to sharing campfire stories, sitting around a campfire can spark lifelong memories. Join a park interpreter to learn…
Read more
From Spark to Flame: Fire-Building Basics
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Join a park interpreter to learn the essentials of campfire building, including the importance of tinder, kindling, and proper structure. Whether you're new to fire-starting or looking to refine your…
Read more
Snake Sense
Friday, October 03, 2025
/ 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
There’s no such thing as a “bad snake," just misunderstood ones. Join a park interpreter to learn about Arkansas’ six venomous snake species and discover how to stay safe if you ever encounter one in…
Read more
Campfire Coffee
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Join a park
interpreter this morning for a lesson in campfire coffee. Learn some helpful brewing techniques before enjoying a cup
yourself!
Read more
Bark Ranger Weekend: Outdoor Cooking Dutch Oven Workshop
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Join a park interpreter for a special Bark Ranger Weekend Dutch Oven Cooking Workshop and make a safe and delicious treat that will have tails wagging. You will learn how to cook in and care for…
Heart Healthy
Read more

Birding Basics
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Bird watching is a hobby for all ages. To get started, you only need the 3 B’s: Binoculars, a Bird book, and Birds. Lake Dardanelle State Park has plenty of birds, so join a park interpreter at the…
Read more
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day (TKMBD) introduces the joy of mountain biking to the next generation. Cane Creek State Park is encouraging kids to jump on a mountain bike and enjoy a scavenger hunt on…
Heart Healthy
Read more

A Better Campfire
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
You can build a better campfire. Whether at the campsite or an emergency situation, fire starting is a valuable skill. Meet a park interpreter and discover various methods of starting a fire and…
Read more
Leave No Trace Watercolors
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Do you know the 7 principles of Leave No Trace? Join a park interpreter to make your very own artwork and learn about the different ways we can help keep our park clean and healthy for other visitors…
Read more
The Story of the Jackson Guards
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Made up of the best young men of Jackson County, the Jackson Guards, Company G, left Jacksonport with great fanfare May 5th, 1861, the day before Arkansas seceded from the Union. Young and…
Read more
Animal Signs Hike
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Sometimes we don't see the animals that live at Lake Poinsett State Park because they're nocturnal or good at hiding. How else can we see signs of these critters at the park? Join a park interpreter…
Heart Healthy
Read more

There's Something Fishy Going On
Saturday, October 04, 2025
/ 10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Join us to explore the anatomy of fish and the unique species found in Lake Frierson. Learn about where these fish live, how their features help them survive, and discover the diverse aquatic world…
Read more