This is not a destination campground but one suited to an overnight stay. There is some noise from I-40 so if that bothers you look for another campground. This is our second time to stay here and we find it convenient to get in and out of and it is also close to a Love's fuel stop. It suits our needs for an overnight stay. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Site was very unlevel. Never could jack up the front enough to be level. We made reservations 3 months in advance. Friends with us were promised side by side with us. When we checked in there were only two sites available. Not next to each other as promised. Sites are very close together. Our slide was over our neighbor's picnic table. I-40 road noise was horrible (that's not the campground's fault I know). We were there for the Petit Jean car show. We could not find anything else available at the time. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Good overnight place to stay. Staff was very friendly and bathrooms were spotless! They did have a big bulldozer and mess going on, maybe expanding? The only major issue was the highway is real close and you have to hear a constant list of brain surgeons driving off the road hitting the rumble strips. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Easy on an off. Truck noise but that's KOA isn't what we pay for
being close to the freeway. Never saw anyone . Filled out a form and deposited the money in a night box. No one at the office during the day.No cable but wifi worked great. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Typical KOA sites, roads and trees. Does have three 100' sites that sit parallel to the property line that big rigs can use. One tree on way to the sites through the other sites is not trimmed and therefore hit roof of motorhome which I hate. I-40 road noise does rebound from surrounding area and could be bothersome to some folks. Excellent wi-fi service. We camped here in a Motorhome.
A typical KOA, clean, neat well managed and pleasant. Sites were grassy and hookups easy. Laundry room had excersize equipment in it and was spotless. A very good overnite stop or extended stay. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is an older campground. The sites are shaded, gravel, and mostly level. It was quiet except for the highway noise which is close by. That isn't much of a problem if you sleep well. TV reception is by antenna, and ours was poor due to tree limbs which prevented us from raising our antenna. Otherwise, we're told we would have gotten 4 channels. They could really improve things if they'd get cable, and clean up the pine cones and things that have fallen out of the trees. It's not in disrepair, but it's not real neat and clean. We've stayed here before, and knew it was just an over night stop on the way to or from somewhere. You don't have a lot of choices in this area, so we'd stay again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
OK for an overnighter when traveling. Clean bathrooms. Hot showers. Laundry. Playground and gameroom for kids. Very close to I-40 so there was truck noise during the night. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We spent Memorial weekend at the park. As usually the park was in excellent condition. I suggest loop A with the view of the lake. These spots are quite large and spread out. The hiking and overlooks are fantastic. As reported by many, shopping for supplies is 20 miles away so come prepared. Unlike some other postings, I think that approaching the park from the West is easiest. While the hill is longer it doesn't have the drop-off at the edge of the road to think about nor does it seem as steep. We are repeat visitors and will be back again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
One of the best state parks we've stayed in. we stayed in loop A, Site 4 which does not have a view of the lake but is very large site with satellite accessible sky. We hiked almost all of the trails and found the Cedar Falls trail to be the best, though also the most difficult. We would stay here again in a heartbeat. Access to the top of the mountain is easiest coming in from the East. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Rate reflects senior discount on weekdays. We thoroughly enjoyed our 9-day stay at this very beautiful and quiet park. We stayed in Loop A, which has spacious paved sites, most of which are pull-throughs shaded by huge pine trees. Most also have a view of the lake. All sites have paved patios, picnic tables and fire pits. There are several wonderful trails to hike, the best of which is the Cedar Falls trail, which leads to the falls. You can also drive to an overlook at the falls if you are unable to make the hike. The lake is lovely and suitable for canoeing. Canoes and paddle boats are available for rental in the summer only. No swimming is allowed. There is also a lodge with a restaurant that is open year-round. The food was nothing special but certainly convenient, as it is a 20-mile drive to the nearest town, Morrilton, for either groceries or restaurants. We would happily return to this absolute dream of a park. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
We did not make reservations, but were given a grassy lot along side Lake Bailey as the overflow camping area for $5. It was difficult finding a level site, but when we did they allowed us to change our site number. We walked down to the lake and through two of the campground loops. The sites are wooded and the bath house was clean. The approach to the state park is through a beautiful wooded area. We drove through the park to the lookout and could see the entire Arkansas River valley. It was beautiful. If we had experienced the campground here instead of the overflow lot, I am sure it would have been a 9/10 rating. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Definitly stay in Area A around the large loop. These sites are enormous while the sites in areas B,C,D are right on top of each other. The hike to the waterfall is every nice. Take a picnic lunch and spend an hour. Don't forget to check out the overlooks along the highways. This is a beautiful park with lots of hiking. A must stay. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was our 2nd trip to Petit Jean State Park in less than a year. We stayed at the park 7 nights. We're hooked. Our site, #13 on the “A” loop, was perfectly level. The park is spotless and the ranger programs are entertaining and educational. We've already booked a return 7 day trip for March of 2009. We can't recommend Petit Jean highly enough. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Petit Jean was the first state park established in Arkansas. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp from 1932 to 1941 and is perhaps the nicest state park I have ever visited. It is a destination park where you could easily enjoy a week or more exploring the park, fishing and just relaxing. It is anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes from I-40. The drive into the park from either the west or east is lovely but on somewhat winding roads. The last 3 miles from the west and the last mile from the east wind up to the top of the plateau where the park is located. There are a series of sharp switchbacks but sufficient room to maneuver a large motorhome pulling a tow vehicle. Just keep your eyes on the road and not the wonderful views off in the distance. We had a huge campsite with full hook ups which is a bit unusual for a state park. Most do not have sewer hook-ups. We were in Area A, the newest section. The other Areas do not have sewer hook-ups but otherwise look nice. Within Area A, I consider sites 13 through 22 to have the nicest views, with 23 through 31 being my 2nd favorites and 1 through 12 being my 3rd choice. Sites 15,17, 18, 19 and 20 have the best views of Bailey Lake and would be my 1st choice if available. Most sites in Area A are pull-throughs and are very spacious. The only complaint would be the low water pressure/volume. Also there are no laundry facilities. The nearest are in Morrilton or Russellville. All internal roads are asphalt. There are numerous trails to explore. Be sure to drive to the various overlooks. The views are spectacular. There is a nice restaurant at the lodge. Be sure to stop by the lodge to see the views from there as well. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice State Park. We got a site right next to the lake. Sites are large and well spaced. Lousy weather kept most campers away so we had the park almost all to ourselves. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is a fantastic park, our favorite so far. We spent the week of Thanksgiving at the park. The new "A" loop is awesome. Our pad was perfectly level. While there we reserved a site for a May 2008 return trip. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
There are lots of things to do at Petit Jean, it is our favorite of all the Arkansas State Parks. The hike to the waterfalls can be a little strenuous, but then we have done it with a three year old and he walked the whole way. The waterfall area is beautiful and at certain times of the year is low enough to get up close to it. The park also offers a Junior Naturalists program for the kids. It teaches them about native animals specific to Arkansas and the particular park. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We stayed in section D of the campground. Only Section A has sewer; B, C, and D are older and have only 30 Amp Electric and Water. The sites vary greatly in size and flatness. The trees are so thick that some sites would be very difficult for campers with slides and awnings. The campground office was helpful in determining which site would be appropriate for my travel trailer. Roads and pads are asphalt. This campground and state park is on top of a mountain and there are great views but not from the campsites. Great lookout points are are within a couple of miles of the campground. There is also a car museum on top of the mountain that I recommend. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
I love the mountain views from this park. Need I say more? All facilities open were neat and clean. I like the size of the showers and the handle bars. Staff was minimal because of off season but very friendly and helpful. Eat at the Mountain View restaurant and enjoy the fireplace and outdoor beauty of the Natural State. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
We stay here at least 6-8 times every year because it's only 1 hour away from home. The sites are huge, as usual in a state park, they even have a new loop with all sewer hookups and pull through sites that you can get on the lake. Those get to watch the airplanes take off and land from the airport on the other side of the lake. They did sacrifice a few trees to upgrade this park, but boy, is it worth it! Loop A is the new loop with sewer hookups, B is older but has huge sites and great trees, completely shaded for the most part. The showers, etc., are nice but not fancy, but are always clean. They have a myriad of events and talks at the ranger station to attend, they are very friendly and helpful. We keep on coming back, and the price is definitely right! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was our first visit since 1972 and how things have changed. The new 33 site RV park along the lake was completed in early 2006 at a cost of $1 million. Probably half of the sites are pull through and each includes a fire ring, barbecue, picnic table, post for hanging a lantern (or humming bird feeder), pea-graveled tent site, and water, sewer, and 50 amp electrical hookups. There are two handicap sites near the shower house. There is a very nice activity program with naturalist-guided and self-guided trails, afternoon nature programs for the youngsters, and a narrated nature slide program every night in the amphitheater. There are a swimming pool, volleyball courts, and tennis courts and activities such as softball games. Our travels are often the type where we try to see how far we can drive. On this trip we stayed at Petit Jean for 15 nights. The daily rate for our site was $28 but seniors get half price rates, so the cost was only $98 a week. It was very hot so I am sure we used that much electricity. I would caution visitors pulling a large trailer or driving a large motor home to come to the park from the east, via Morrilton. We have a 40 foot Class A and made the mistake of taking Highway 7 north out of Hot Springs - 50 miles of slow, narrow, winding road with no turn-offs and no shoulders. The road from Morrilton has only 1 mile of winding road. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice and clean park. Some sites are unlevel due to the park being on a mountain, but the majority are good. We stayed here over the 4-day July 4th weekend and while the park was full everything was quiet. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Prettiest state park campground we've ever seen. Sites were very large and level. They kept the grass cut and litter picked up. Lots of hiking and scenic overlooks. Public pool available down the road for an additional fee. Lodge has a pool but campers can't use it. Can't swim in the lake either. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This park is undergoing some renovations. As a result, all the waterfront sites are currently closed. We found a nice quiet site near the end of one of the areas, which was on a road that actually exited the park onto some private land. We had to have two water hoses to reach the hook-up near the front of the site. The dump station has been relocated near the office during the renovation. It is very difficult to get the trailer level at the dump station. Even though the park was ok, some of the surrounding scenery was spectacular. The trail down to the dribbling falls was nice. We also climbed on some very large rocks on one of the short trails. If you go, take the 4.5 mile drive out to Petit Jeans grave site. The view from there is truly overwhelming. You can see for miles and you are overlooking a large section of the AR River. The roads up to the campground can be steep. However, they are not that bad. The kids really liked the pool ($). It has two small water slides, a diving board, and is very clean. Overall, a nice park with some great views on the entrance and exit roads. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Nice park with lots of space - not all jammed in as in some parks. Small fee for pool
use. Small lake for fishing or boating. Views on hikes are excellent! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2003
$15
We really enjoyed this campground. From the previous review, we were concerned about the pull up the mountain, but we ended up taking the "white knuckle" route anyway (coming in from the east and heading west up Hwy 154). This is a very rough pull, but overall probably shorter than the other route. The fastest I went on this section was around 20 mph. The scenery on this pull up the hill was awesome. The campground is on the top of a relatively flat mountain. When you are at your campsite, you forget that you are on top of a mountain. It's when you either take the hikes or go to a number of lookouts that you remember where you are. Mount Petit Jean is in the river valley section of Arkansas, so you can really see a long way out at any of the lookouts. Great views! Cedar Falls is in the park and can be hiked to. Wow! What a great hike! There is also a lookout of the falls from up top for those not interested in hiking to the bottom. In summer '03, the lake was full, but was about halfway taken up by water lilies. The lake is very small. Boats can
only have up to 10 h.p. motors. Boats can be rented. You can't swim in the lake, but of course you can fish. There is a swimming pool with a daily charge. It is worth every penny of it though. Lifeguards were on duty. It was probably our favorite pool of all of the campgrounds we've been to. It was really clean and it has two slides and a diving board. Kids had a blast! The campground was very relaxed with lots of kids and lots of happy sounds. A very helpful and friendly staff are employed at the park. It was a very far drive for us, but we will visit the campground again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 8 / 10 ]
2002
$14
Had a great trip to Petit Jean State Park last month. Only bad part was that we had a lot of rain. It should be noted that I don't recall the exact rate and they vary a bit depending on the type of site. $14.00 is close. The first thing we need to talk about is getting into the park. There are 3 main ways in. The first is 155 from the south, coming off of 10 and connecting with 154 and then east into the park. This will give you a nice, easy pull with some fair scenery to look at. The second way is to come in from the west off of 7, catching 154 in Centerville. This is a harder pull but the scenery is nicer, if you have the nerve to look at it! Then we have what I am calling "The White Knuckle Route". This brings you in from the east on 154, and takes you straight up for about 2 miles after passing the turn-off at Ada!!! Guess which one my computer routing brought me in on! Yep!!! My wife couldn't understand why I was concerned when my S-10 was working hard in 2nd. gear. She said not to worry as I had one more gear to go!!! Jeez!!! 154 is beautiful and not a bad road, BUT NOT WHEN YOUR PULLING A TRAILER!!! The staff at Petit Jean are great! They go out of their way to help you have a great time. No matter what you ask they will do their best to accommodate. This includes everybody from the guys doing the clean-up to "Mr. Ranger" on patrol. #1 great people! The park has four main camping areas plus an "Overflow Area". All, including the "Overflow" have power and water. Area "A" is all pull-thru with some trees but not a lot of shade. I believe the sites in this area also have sewer hook-up. Area "B" is all back-in, also with some trees but minimal shade. Both these areas are better suited for MH's and big 5er's. Areas "C" and "D" are well shaded and all but a few sites in "D" are back-in. All sites except "Overflow" are paved and have fire ring/grills and picnic tables on a concrete slab. Not sure about the electric power in the other areas but area "D" has 40 amps to each site and that's plenty for PU's and a lot of TT's and 5er's. Water pressure was fine and it tasted good even though we have no filter. Bath houses are modern and clean with plenty of hot water. The park has any number of fantastic hiking trails. Due to the rain I was only able to hike 2 of them, one "easy" and the other "moderate to hard". Will want to get back to hike the rest before my old knees give out completely! There are also a number of overlook points that are well worth the time to explore. One of the best, "Cedar Falls Overlook", is accessed by a 1/4 mile walk on a wooden walkway. Very pretty and easy for older people and invalids. You get a great view of the falls. All of the other overlooks can be accessed by car and a very short walk. Bring your binoculars! Had planned on a lot of fishing but due to the amount of rain, this just didn't happen. Also, the lake has been drained down about 6' to do repairs on the dam. That 6' doesn't sound like a lot but it's a good bit on a lake with an average depth of 8'! Any how, no fish stories this trip. If you come, make sure you bring what you need. The closest major store is in Morrilton, about 20 miles away. There you will find a Wal-Mart Super Center about 3 blocks south of I-40 and a fair selections of restaurants. There is also a nice restaurant in the park at Mather Lodge. I believe it is run by state employees and is comparable in price and quality to a Denny's or IHOP. Good food and service at a fair price. You will also find a small store just outside the
east entrance to the park. It carries a nice assortment of trinkets and souvenirs but not much help on camping needs. They do have a nice selection of hiking sticks at a good price. Hike most of those park trails and you will find that one of these is a big help! That just about covers all that I can think of. Petit Jean is a beautiful park in a great part of the country. We are sure to be returning there at some future date. Happy Camping! We camped here in a Tent Trailer.