
Discover Events

Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
Birding 101
Monday, October 20, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter to learn about the different species of birds found at Woolly Hollow State Park. Together we will learn common species, practice listening for calls, take a short walk to spot…
Read more
Mighty Eagles
Monday, October 20, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
The symbol of our nation comes in the form of a mighty bird; the eagle, but even the mighty can fall. Meet a park interpreter to learn the amazing story of resilience of the mighty eagle and how you…
Read more
Creative Fishing Lures (Bear Creek)
Monday, October 20, 2025
/ 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Lots of fishermen enjoy crappie and bass fishing on Bear Creek Lake. Today we are going to discuss several of the fish bass and crappie like to eat, then you can choose the shape of the one you want…
Read more
Discovering Nature Journals
Monday, October 20, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Preserve your memories and experiences in the great outdoors in a journal. Meet a park interpreter outside the Lake Center to make your own journal and learn some outdoor journaling…
Read more
Painting in the Park
Monday, October 20, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Children learn so much from exploring their surroundings. Join a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the visitor center for a nature-based paint project designed for children under 5…
Read more
Think Like a Fish
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Want to catch more fish? Want to know more about what fish eat and where they live? Meet a park interpreter to think like a fish and discover more about the fish that live in Lake Fort Smith.
Read more
Fish Feeding
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Come see the fish feast! It is very entertaining and quite interesting to watch the feeding habits of fish, like a bass striking at a worm or minnow. Gather around the fish tanks and enjoy the show.
Read more
A Simple Stick
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter to discover how a hiking stick can make your hike safer, enjoyable, and more memorable. We will discuss proper sizing, primary and secondary uses for a hiking stick,…
Read more
What's for Lunch
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.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…
Read more
Senior American Special: Registration and Refreshments
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
This afternoon of fellowship
begins the Senior American Special and features snacks provided by the Petit
Jean Women’s EH Club in the CCC Room and the historic lobby area of Mather
Lodge.
Read more
Reptiles of the River
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Lake Dardanelle State Park is home to variety of wildlife, but do you ever wonder just what there is out there in the river? Are there snakes, is that a snapping turtle? Join a park interpreter in the…
Read more
Senior American Special: A Warm Welcome
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Join the park interpreters in
the visitor center meeting room. We will call it the Meeting
Room from now on, and it’s on the right, if you’re facing the front of the
building. Get reacquainted with…
Read more
Orionid Meteor Shower Viewing
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
/ 11:45 p.m. - 1 a.m.
From late October through part of November, meteor showers can sometimes be viewed in the foreground of the Orion constellation. These are remnants of Halley’s comet, which passes through…
Read more
Senior American Special: Sunrise and Snacks
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 7 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
Join
the park interpreters at Petit Jean’s Gravesite for a beautiful sunrise with a
few snacks. We will do the classic telling of the legends of Petit Jean while
here and enjoy each other’s company.…
Read more
Burn Smart, Leave No Mark
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Campfires can warm the night and cook our meals, but they can also scar the land for years. Join a park interpreter for a guided activity about how to enjoy fire sustainably and responsibly. From…
Read more
Senior American Special: Legacy of Mather Lodge Tour
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Join a park interpreter in the breezeway of Mather Lodge 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’…
Read more
Game Scene Investigation: GSI
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
When you walk around in nature and you see a track, do you take the track at face value as just a footprint, or do you look around to see what the big picture holds? Join a park interpreter in the…
Read more
Guess That Creature
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
How well do you know
the special creatures and features of Lake Ouachita State Park? Meet a park interpreter to take the "creature challenge." We see how good you at are at identifying photos,…
Read more
Senior American Special: Fly Fishing 101
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Join Arkansas Game and Fish Educator Trent Whitehead at the pool parking lot for a lesson on how to fly
fish! This program is a 1-hour long introduction to fly fishing that will inspire
you to pick up…
Read more
Senior American Special: Build Like the CCC
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
/ 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Join a park interpreter at the historic CCC ball field to see more of how the
CCC men lived and worked during their time at Petit Jean State Park. A live
demonstration will be included with some of…
Read more