
Discover Events

Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
Monarch Migration Station
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
How do monarchs manage to migrate over 3,000 miles? What challenges do they face on their journey? Join a park interpreter at Lake Poinsett State Park to learn about the challenges monarchs face…
Read more
Backyard Bass
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Backyard Bass is the perfect game for beginning anglers of all ages. Join a park interpreter to learn more about fishing and practicing your casting skills while staying high and dry in this fun game!…
Read more
Animal Myths
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 3:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Many myths and misconceptions surround our local wildlife. Are you really as blind as a bat? Do you take advice from a groundhog that predicts seasons? Do you still think that wart came from a frog or…
Read more
White River Hunters and Trappers
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Hunting and trapping served an important role on the White River and contributed to Jacksonport's economy. Join a park interpreter to learn what animals were hunted and trapped in this area. Learn…
Read more
The Story of the Jackson Guards
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 5 p.m. - 5:45 p.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
Echoing Footsteps Hike
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
As you walk the Military Road Trail, your footsteps echo the footsteps of the past and the future. Meet a park interpreter to learn the stories, history, and hardships of those who walked the Military…
Heart Healthy
Read more

Survival Shelter Building
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
What are the main things we need to survive a night out in the woods? Learn these and different shelter types that will work in different situations. Join a park interpreter at Lake Poinsett State…
Read more
The S.S.S. Experience
Saturday, September 27, 2025
/ 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Village Creek State Park’s natural beauty sets the stage for us to enjoy the perfect camping combo: The S.S.S. Experience (Sunsets, S’mores, and Songs). Join a park interpreter outside the visitor…
Read more
Hike and Seek
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
For many animals at Village Creek State Park, how good you are at the game of “Hide and Seek” could be the difference between life and death! Join a park interpreter outside the visitor center to hike…
Read more
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Cannons are an iconic part of the Civil War battlefield. Join a park interpreter to learn more about these explosive weapons of war, and go through the same drill soldiers would have learned in order…
Read more
Animal Signs Hike
Sunday, September 28, 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

Mammals of Village Creek
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Have you ever felt the fur of a bobcat? Meet a park interpreter to learn about our native mammals and feel their furs. This program is great for any age!
Read more
Creek Crawl
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Village Creek State Park is home to a world of hidden critters! Join a park interpreter outside the visitor center as we walk to creek to explore the biodiversity the park provides. Please wear…
Read more
Hide and Seek
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
For the animals at Lake Frierson State Park, how skilled you are at the game of hide and seek can mean the difference between life and death. Join the park interpreter for…
Read more
Preserving the Legacy
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Join a park interpreter for a special 2-hour open self-guided tour of the 1872 Courthouse Museum! Learn how Jacksonport became the county seat, what the building was used for after the county seat…
Read more
Guided Hike: The Eternal Flame
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Over 200 years ago, 660 Cherokee walked the Military Road that runs through Village Creek State Park. Join a park interpreter at the Lake Austell boat ramp parking lot as we hike Military Road Trail…
Read more
Tracker Training
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Can you tell the difference between the tracks of a squirrel and an opossum? Become an outdoor wildlife detective and find out who has been walking around Lake Frierson State Park! Join a park…
Read more
Night Hike: Nocturnal Powers
Sunday, September 28, 2025
/ 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
When we hike into the darkness, the powers of animals come into the light. Grab your flashlights and join the park interpreter for a night hike along the 0.5-mile Dogwood Lane Trail. Enjoy some games…
Heart Healthy
Read more

Birding 101
Thursday, October 02, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter to learn the basics of birding then
put your new skills to the test. We will look and listen for birds during a 0.5-mile walk on the Arboretum Trail. Wear sturdy shoes, bring…
Heart Healthy
Read more

Old as a Tree
Thursday, October 02, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Are you as old as a tree? Join a park interpreter to discover how to tell the age of a tree and what happened during its life. You will also have the opportunity to create your own…
Read more