Wonderful time
My husband and I tent camped here in November. Pretty cold at night but the weather was perfect for the hikes which were absolutely stunning. We had a delicious breakfast with a view at the lodge. 10 out of 10 would recommend!
My husband and I tent camped here in November. Pretty cold at night but the weather was perfect for the hikes which were absolutely stunning. We had a delicious breakfast with a view at the lodge. 10 out of 10 would recommend!
I had an absolute blast while at Petit Jean State Park. I stayed at the Mather lodge and in one of the cabins both of which I loved staying in. The trails through out the park are all great hikes, even the less prominent paths are nice to explore. The hike down to Cedar Falls is absolutely fantastic and more than worth the trek. My favorite part of the park hands down has to be the multiple look out points you can find around the mountain. The views you can find along red bluff drive and at the gravesite are breathtaking. Petit Jean State park is fantastic and I can’t wait to go back.
We stayed in the yurts one time and it was nice but hot. Bring FANS. The yurt came with a canoe and life jackets. We loved that stay. My favorite stay is at the tent sites. We have stayed so many times. Several areas to hike with young children. Swimming pool available at a good price. The kids love the near by petting zoo. Lake available for fishing and boat rentals. Wonderful views all around one of my favorite spots.
Good spots full hookups, clean bathrooms and shower, hot water. Quiet surroundings, lots to see and explore, hiking galore from easy to experience hikers..has access to cool pool local stores for supplies and occasional events...
Our first time in Petit Jean State Park and hopefully not our last! The area is so beautiful and the park is clean. We stayed in one of the yurts. The kids enjoyed the geese right outside the door and at night, the deer came out only feet from the yurt. The yurt itself is was as expected. Only beds inside with one table, 4 chairs and a fan. It does have electricity inside but no water. Outside is a nice deck, propane stove, water faucet, fire ring, picnic table and bbq pit. It also has a canoe available for use with each yurt. The boathouse was not too far away and well maintained. There is a very nice pool on the grounds also. We really enjoyed the hiking trails.
We took our little camper out to Petit Jean for the first time and it was a blast. We were a little unprepared, so we stayed in the overflow area. This part is not paved and has no fire pit, so we couldn't have a fire. If you have a portable fire pit you can have a fire there. Also those spots do not have a grill, but we have a small one that we were able to use. The driveways to get to the overflow area are a bit rough (roots sticking up through the dirt) and it takes a bit to get level (sloped toward the lake). However, the dump station is very clean and convenient. We will definitely come back to Petit Jean in the future.
Cleanest park I ve ever see! From the loop A, great view to the lake. A lot of hiking around
We stayed at Petit Jean State Park for the first time over Easter weekend. Even though the park was booked to capacity, it is so well laid out that it was really nice to be there.. The first night we were in loop we were in loop D. Unfortunately, the space was too small for our fifth wheel. So when I spoke to the visitor Center in the morning, they were able to put us in the highly desirable loop A. We ended up in site #30. It had a beautiful view of the lake. It's was also a plus to have full hookups including 50 amp service and sewer. So unusual for a state park.
The during the days before we arrived, the area was hit by torrential rains. The weather cleared and I hiked down to the Cedar Falls trail to see the falls. The video is of the roaring falls. There is not typically so much flow. We were lucky!
We spent most of our days hiking the many trails the park is known for. It was at peak Dogwood season, so the understory of the Forest was beautiful!
We will definitely camp there again!
Very nice place. Friendly people. Good amount of space between campers. We were on Loop A number 16, so we faced a yurt and the lake. BEAUTIFUL hiking area!!!
We camped in section C site 61. Great location, pretty view, close to bathhouse. Great hiking, fishing and views. Bathrooms are clean. We would highly recommend this park.
We love camping here. It's a beautiful park and you won't get bored. There are walking paths, bike trails, hiking trails. The lodge is great, with gifts, a restaurant, and a beautiful overlook. They have an overflow lot in case you're unable to get a reserved spot.
Great getaway! Hours of hiking with the whole family. Beautiful scenes. Splurged on a cabin and worth it! Lodge restaurant was good with nice lodge pool. The views off the lodge are stunning. Worth our drive from TX. We will tent next time!
This was our first time at Petit Jean and definitely won’t be the last! My 1st suggestion: RESERVE EARLY to get a spot in Loop A or Loop B. We stayed in Loop C and I felt a little too secluded. The sites in C & D appeared to be a little smaller. I noticed several sites in B & C were uneven from roots pushing the asphalt up. Beware! Loop A is full hookup while B-D have electricity & water only. We stayed on Site 64 in a pop up style camper. It was fairly level and there were a couple good places for tents. Everyone around us was tent camping. My main complaint was the bathroom. The showers are not very private other than a nasty mildewed shower curtain, but there is no where to dry off or dress that is private. The showers were nasty on the weekend that we went, but it was also a revolving door of a massive group of 30+ tent campers that was using the showers. They were a lot cleaner on Sunday thankfully. The park itself is absolutely breathtaking! We went to the Cedar Falls Overlook, Palisades Overlook and Stout Point Overlook. We also made the hike down to Cedar Falls. It was absolutely incredible, but you should be somewhat in decent shape for this hike as it was not easy! We also hiked Bear Cave. It was nice with lots of exploring around the cave. We ate dinner at Mather Lodge one night. I had the Catfish Platter and it was excellent. I’m already ready to plan another trip here during the summer so we can utilize the boat house and a few other amenities that are closed during the off season. Well worth a fall visit though!
This is a great campground back in the trees. It was raining and we didn't get that wet due to the tree coverage. The Cedar Falls hike is beautiful and a quick fun adventure. I recommend going to the Petit Jean Grave. The view is vast!
Arkansas’ first and most popular state park. Lake with rental boats, trailer and tent site loops, lodge/hotel/cabins. Outstanding natural features, some of which are easily accessible. Very popular in the fall. Big waterfall with rugged trail to the bottom. Can’t see it all in a weekend!
Two separate areas. one really wooded and the other open with a few trees. Services available and restrooms and showers available. Restuarant and cabins available. Car museum near. Hiking trails rated easy to difficult. Great overlooks.
You have to love Petit Jean; its namesake was a badass and it's one of the best destinations in the state. There are several viewpoints/vistas that you can access from roads (just two close together that involve some driving on gravel). Get a State Park brochure at the Visitor Center, because you should not skip any of these lookouts. There's also great hiking, waterfalls, "turtle rocks", caves, and a lake. As far as camping, on the lake side of the main road is an out-in-the-open loop for large RVs with full hookups. On the other side of the road are the shadier, friendlier loops (three loops) with partial-hookups (electric and water); campsites that are also nice for tent or hammock camping. The bathhouses are not new or state of the art, but they're fine and are cleaned regularly. The sinks have soap but not paper towels, so bring a bandana at least. Best recommendation for picking a site is to stay away from the roads - you don't want to listen to cars and trucks going by. B and C loops give convenient access to the bike path, which leads to: Visitor Center, swimming pool (call for summer hours), hiking trails, and finally Mather Lodge. Bring your bicycle so you can keep your car parked and still get around easily. Down and across the road you can get to a playground, as well as a boat house for canoe and paddle boat rentals. My family's favorite activity is riding our bikes from the campsite to the restaurant at the lodge for dinner (the lodge now serves a few cocktails and the Old Fashioned Bourbon is recommended). If you've read this far, I'll tell you the best bang-for-your-buck hike, my personal favorite: Bear Cave Trail - a few steps from your car you're walking among (or climbing upon, if you are brave) giants' rocks.
We camped in loop C 66 & it was a perfect little spot at the end of the road. It was close to the bathrooms which were nice & clean! It was hard to find places to hang hammocks, but the tent location was perfectly flat & smooth. The park itself was a gem. Seven Hollows trail was beautiful, but the Cedar Falls trail was breathtaking. The waterfall at the end & the pool into which it drops is an incredible sight & also very refreshing after a long hike. That’s a hike you don’t want to miss! The Cedar Creek trail was also worth visiting. 10/10 would recommend Petit Jean State Park!
Camp sites & bath house were very clean! Alot of Beautiful scenery, waterfall and nice trails. We only got to camp here 1 night on our way to Kentucky and absolutely Loved it! We had a visit from a raccoon who loved marshmallows lol! We can't wait to go back!
Great camping and beautiful views! Stayed in the C loop and had a pretty wooded campsite with enough separation from neighbors. Each site has water, grill, and fire ring. The only downside is the amount of ticks we pulled off the pups after hiking mid-May. Definitely bring bug spray and use tick protection on your pups.
Great hiking trails and signage. All campgrounds are easy access to the lake. Beautiful scenery
We are scheduled to camp here for my husband's birthday this year in August. We stayed at Mather Lodge for an extended weekend and loved it here. This is the second time we stayed at Mather Lodge. It is very homey feeling. The beds are not that comfortable but I have seen worse. The rooms are clean and have heat/air. The rooms are clean and inviting. The cafe at Mather Lodge has beautiful views. The food is good and very large portions. One meal will feed 2-3 people! Unless you are a very big eater! I am attaching pictures from the Mather Lodge and the Campground area A. I would recommend this park and can't wait to return in August!
This campground provides something for everyone. It has short to long hiking trails, views, waterfalls, lodging, yurts, plenty of camping spaces and the ability to do as much or as little as you would like. We stay in C or D usually as A is for campers and C and D appear to provide a little more space. Sites 112 and 111 were our favorite due to it being closer to the bath house and more space in the camp spot. The bathhouse is standard and doesn't have any remember-able feature. It does include a fairly clean shower and the rangers did come by and clean up every day we were there. I would recommend the boy scout trail if you are interested in fairly long hikes. It takes you all over the park and never has a dull part (other than about a mile of road walking but that is still pleasant as the road is a decommissioned gravel road). If you just want a short hike, I would recommend the Davies Bridge to the Rock House Cave. Not terrible elevation and a pleasant river hike to the cave. The bonus at the Rock house Cave is going on top of it and checking out the "turtle shells" on top!
this campground is great! Also pretty large. Sections are slightly spread out but bathrooms are easily accessible. Weekends book up fast and try to get close to the visitors center for the best spots.
Petit Jean is a beautiful state park! The campground is very well maintained and has very clean bathhouses. The campground is split into two main sections. Section A is on the lake-side of the main road. It is full hook-up with very level sites, and there are several water front sites that book up pretty quickly. Directly across the main road is section B. This section has water and electric. Most of these sites are level enough, and include tent pads. Some of the sites weren’t laid out well, and have the water and electric on the wrong side or very far away. Definitely bring extensions for your utilities. There are two other sections attached to B that open up during the busy seasons. These areas are pretty tight to get into, and very few are level. I’ve seen some people with their rigs lifted over a foot on one side! As far as things to do, there are TONS of beautiful trails and things to see! The Mather lodge serves great food with a view that you won’t forget. A walk down from the lodge leads to the bottom of a gorgeous waterfall, although the amount of water definitely depends on the season. Rangers are very nice, and offer fun things like owl hunts and other educational tours. This is one of our favorite places to take the family! And don’t forget to check out Petit Jean’s grace site for some incredible sunrise views!
Absolutley gorgeous campsites. Clean bathrooms. Dog friendly. Amazing views. Lots of hiking trails. You'd be missing out if you didn't take some time to enjoy this campground and all it has to offer.
Beautiful and spacious tent spots. Orginally had a online reservation but the park double booked my spot. The workers worked really hard and found us a great replacement spot!
Had a great time on Petti Jean , One of the three Amigo's work's up there and we spend time with her for a week . Our camp site was next to a little stream and we put out our yard pets by the stream and we had people stopping to talk about them and the kids loved them . One was George the frog and the other was Henryetta the hippo !
I stayed here in April in a class C motorhome and the sites by the lake are great. Long enough for a larger motorhome than I had that was 30 feet. A pulling vehicle or a fifth wheel would be good here because there is no stores or businesses close to the campgrounds. The park is great and the sites have everything there, picnic tables, firepits and full RV hookups. The shower house and restrooms are clean and the trails are well maintained. The hiking is fantastic and if you have lots of money a meal in the Lodge I hear is very good.