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Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
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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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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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Rock House Cave Hike
Saturday, December 13, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter to hike to the park's archeology site, Rock House Cave. We will view American Indian rock art and discover more about the windows into the past that these images provide. This…
Heart Healthy
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What's for Lunch
Saturday, December 13, 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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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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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
/ 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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Sensory Sunday
Sunday, December 14, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Plantation Agriculture Museum is committed to creating an inclusive and educational experience for all visitors, including those with autism and other sensory sensitivities, for whom a typical trip to…
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Preserving the Legacy
Sunday, December 14, 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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Pinecone Bird Feeders
Sunday, December 14, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Learn about the birds that stay at Lake Sylvia through the winter and create a pinecone bird feeder! Each person will make two pinecone bird feeders. One to decorate a tree here at Lake Sylvia for our…
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Eagle Tour
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Lake Dardanelle State Park is proud to offer free winter lake cruises for the best chance of seeing our national symbol, the American bald eagle (weather permitting). Many other spectacular birds will…
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What's for Lunch
Tuesday, December 16, 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
Marsh Mystery
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
As the Arkansas River journeys through Lake Dardanelle, it continually shapes the land and creates opportunities for people like you. We have to be careful when enjoying these opportunities that we…
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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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Morning Bird Walk
Friday, December 19, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Join a park interpreter at the visitor center to take a walk through the area in search of our visiting birds. Even if you’ve never birded before, you can enjoy these creatures in a whole new way!
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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.
Read more
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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What's Up? A Deeper Look At Mount Magazine's Dark Skies
Friday, December 19, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mount Magazine State Park's very dark skies are quite an experience for both heart and mind. With the help of a park interpreter, take a deeper look into “the anatomy” of the vast space that is so…
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Legends of Petit Jean
Friday, December 19, 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…
Read more