PETIT JEAN STATE PARK -- As Arkansas' first state park, Petit Jean holds a place of pride that brings streams of visitors to its mountaintop location 65 miles northwest of Little Rock.
Park officials don't take Petit Jean's popularity for granted. Evidence of that is the array of events scheduled year-round on the 2,658-acre preserve. This weekend's menu, for example, features eight programs -- all free of charge -- as the fall foliage season proceeds toward its windup.
These activities, lasting from 30 to 90 minutes, are aimed at a variety of interests and energy levels:
• Arkansas Furbearers, 3 p.m. Friday. This hands-on event will give youngsters and their parents the chance to feel the fur of a bobcat, a fox and other local mammals. A park interpreter will detail the species' behavior patterns. (Amphitheater)
• A Place Called Petit Jean, 5:30 p.m. Friday. A primer on the mountaintop's history, this presentation will touch on such sites as the Old Pioneer Cabin. The one-room log structure was built in 1845 by John Walker, the second white settler here. (Amphitheater)
• Bear Cave Hike, 9 a.m. Saturday. Don't expect to see any actual bears on this easy half-mile hike. Do expect to hear from a park interpreter about the slot canyons and giant sandstone boulders to be seen. (Bear Cave Parking Area)
• Bears Out There, 11 a.m. Saturday. An interpreter will talk about the history and the present status of black bears in and around Petit Jean. (Mather Lodge CCC Room)
• Taking Care of Our Forests and Trails, 2 p.m. Saturday. This easy one-mile hike is a feel-good event, as hikers have a chance to help with light trail maintenance. The guide will discuss what makes a forest healthy. Wear sturdy shoes and have drinking water. (Seven Hollows Trailhead)
• Marshmallows and Tall Tales, 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The marshmallows will be provided, but participants are asked to find their own stick for roasting. The tall tales, to be told by a park interpreter, will include the legend of the hoop snake. (Amphitheater)
• Cool Rocks on Cedar Creek, 9 a.m. Sunday. During a nonrigorous hike of 1 1/4 miles lasting about 90 minutes, an interpreter will point out fascinating formations such as carpet rocks. Wear sturdy shoes and take water. (Old Pioneer Cabin)
• Cherokee Stories Above the Arkansas River, 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Like much of Arkansas, the Petit Jean area saw the involuntary passage of American Indians on the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. A park interpreter will map out the local connections. (Stout's Point)
Weekend visitors can also enjoy Petit Jean's scenic and historic sights, among them Cedar Falls, the legendary grave site of Petit Jean and the Old Pioneer Cabin. The dining room at Mather Lodge, overlooking Cedar Creek Canyon, offers a varied and flavorful menu. Waits for a table can be expected on good-weather days.
To reach Petit Jean State Park from the Little Rock area, take Arkansas 9 (Exit 108) off Interstate 40 at Morrilton and proceed south nine miles to Oppelo. Then head west 12 miles on Arkansas 154. Call (501) 727-5441 or visit petitjeanstatepark.com.
Weekend on 11/13/2014