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Petit Jean State Parks
Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
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Geocaching Hike
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Join a park interpreter at the base of the Little Missouri trailhead to learn about the hidden world of geocaching and get the chance to find a few of your own. The portion of the trail we will…
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Sunrise Hike and Stretch
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Start your morning
with movement and mountain views! Meet a park interpreter at Richter
Overlook and take a short, refreshing walk along Red Bluff Drive to the CCC
Overlook, where we’ll pause for…
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Spider Hider
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
What has eight legs and eats bugs? Discover some of the fascinating things spiders do. How they make their homes, find food, and even which ones are dangerous to us. Join a park interpreter in the…
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Fall Foliage Hike on the Rocky Valley Trail
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Join a park interpreter for a guided hike on the Rocky Valley Trail to explore and admire the fall foliage! The hike will emphasize both the science of leaf color change and the ecological importance…
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Diamond Mining 101
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter in the Diamond Discovery Center to learn the tricks of the trade at this demonstration of diamond searching methods!
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Ready, Aim, Fire!
Sunday, November 16, 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…
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Autumn Discovery Series - Wildlife in Autumn
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
From deer and squirrels to migrating birds, animals are preparing for winter. We’ll uncover the survival strategies that keep Petit Jean State Park’s wildlife thriving through…
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Discover the Yancopin Bridge Guided Hike
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 12:45 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Here is your chance to discover the Yancopin Bridge! This bridge crosses the Arkansas River along the Delta Heritage Trail. Experience it for yourself on a 3-mile round trip guided hike led by a park…
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Eco-Artistry: Leaf Splatter Painting
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Meet at the beautiful Historic Camp Ouachita site to make a fun craft! In this program, you will take time to slow down and enjoy nature while making a leaf splatter painting. The program may take…
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Bear Cave Hike
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 1 p.m. - 1:45 p.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…
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Preserving the Legacy
Sunday, November 16, 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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Let's Make a Deal: Arkansas River Edition
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
In the early 1800s, the Arkansas River connected diverse communities through trade and exchange. Goods carried stories, relationships shaped survival, and every deal mattered. Meet a park…
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Cotton Ginning Demonstration
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
How many of us have heard of the cotton gin? You might even know the name of the man credited with inventing the machine. But do you actually know
what a cotton gin does and how it works? Join…
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Meet a Tree
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
What would Petit Jean State Park be like without our trees? Meet a park interpreter for a short walk around the amphitheater to get to know the trees of the park, and how they shape the land around…
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Wearable Water Cycle
Sunday, November 16, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
As the Arkansas River journeys through Lake Dardanelle it continually shapes the land and creates opportunities for people like you. Discover the many stops a drop of water makes on its journey…
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Eagle Tour
Monday, November 17, 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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Diamond Mining 101
Monday, November 17, 2025
/ 10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter in the Diamond Discovery Center to learn the tricks of the trade at this demonstration of diamond searching methods!
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Diamond Mining 101
Monday, November 17, 2025
/ 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Meet a park interpreter in the Diamond Discovery Center to learn the tricks of the trade at this demonstration of diamond searching methods!
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Nature vs. Nurture
Monday, November 17, 2025
/ 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
From instincts to experience, animals at Lake Dardanelle State Park learn what it takes to survive. Meet a park interpreter in the grassy area across from the visitor center to discover how…
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Diamond Mining 101
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
/ 8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Meet a park interpreter in the Diamond Discovery Center to learn the tricks of the trade at this demonstration of diamond searching methods!
Read more