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Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
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Catch of the Day
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 12 p.m. - 12:30 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…
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Survival Sips
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
What would you do if your only water source was a muddy puddle? Join a park interpreter in the grassy area between the visitor center and the weigh-in pavilion to explore how clean water…
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Great Migration Challenge
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Each year, over 350 bird species travel hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to find the food they need to survive. Lake Dardanelle State Park makes a perfect place for them to find this food and…
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A Walk amongst the Fish
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Join park staff for a walk through the visitor center and look at the aquariums. Learn how to identify the many fish living in Lake Dardanelle.
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Game Scene Investigation: GSI
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 5 p.m. - 5:30 p.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…
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Stories Told in the Dark
Saturday, November 29, 2025
/ 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Gather ‘round the glow of the campfire with a park interpreter for an evening of storytelling under the night sky. From tall tales to local legends, these stories come to life in the flicker of…
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Bear Cave Hike
Sunday, November 30, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Join a park interpreter for an interesting walk among the giant sandstone boulders and slot canyons of the Bear Cave area. This is a relatively easy 1/4-mile hike that is great for the whole…
Heart Healthy
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The 10 Essentials Look and Learn Table
Sunday, November 30, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Ever been caught unprepared on an outdoor adventure? Stop by the park interpreter's Look and Learn Table at the visitor center to learn about the ten essentials every adventurer should have. Discover…
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Pedal and Picnic - Fall Bike Ride
Sunday, November 30, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Join a park interpreter for a family-friendly bike ride along the CCC Hike and Bike Trail. We’ll start at the Old Visitor Center trailhead, ride to Mather Lodge with a stop at the Lower…
Heart Healthy
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Camp Ouachita Historic Tour
Sunday, November 30, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Join a park interpreter to learn about the rich history of Lake Sylvia and Camp Ouachita. Glimpse into the past by touring the old Girl Scouts cabins. Look into the future while exploring our newly…
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Preserving the Legacy
Sunday, November 30, 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…
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Pelican Party
Sunday, November 30, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:45 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 02, 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…
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Reptilian Riddles
Tuesday, December 02, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Many creatures call Lake Dardanelle State Park home. Many of these amazing creatures are reptiles. Join a park interpreter in the visitor center Orientation Room to discover some of the things that…
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Hike Along the Rim Trail
Friday, December 05, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Join a park interpreter to set off on a section of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Boy Scout Trail known as the Rim Trail. The walk offers scenic views of Cedar Creek’s lower canyon, as well as woodland…
Heart Healthy
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Legends of Petit Jean
Friday, December 05, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:30 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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Creative Pottery
Saturday, December 06, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Hampson Archeological Museum State Park interprets a civilization that created art in many ways. One of those works of art is in the form of pottery. Join us as we learn the native way of creating…
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What's for Lunch
Saturday, December 06, 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
Creative Pottery
Saturday, December 06, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Hampson Archeological Museum State Park interprets a civilization that created art in many ways. One of those works of art is in the form of pottery. Join us as we learn the native way of creating…
Read more