Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas’s first state park, is set to see significant enhancements through a newly approved draft master plan. Developed by Crafton Tull in collaboration with Rogue Trails, the plan focuses on elevating the park’s recreational and environmental offerings while preserving its rich natural and cultural heritage.
Key Areas of Focus
The master plan emphasizes eleven key themes: Stewardship, Access, Circulation, Movement, Traverse, Splash, Stay, Play, Serve, Expand, and Arrival. These areas outline strategies to balance visitor experience with environmental sustainability.
Proposed Mountain Biking Trails
One of the highlights of the plan is the inclusion of new multi-use mountain biking trails. These trails will cater to cyclists of all skill levels, adding to the park’s appeal as a hub for outdoor enthusiasts. The trails will also integrate seamlessly with pedestrian pathways and existing hiking trails, ensuring accessibility and connectivity throughout the park.
Enhanced Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
In addition to mountain biking, the plan suggests introducing rock climbing, bouldering, and a via ferrata—a protected climbing route. These activities will diversify the park’s recreational offerings and draw adventure seekers to Petit Jean.
Environmental and Historical Stewardship
The master plan places a strong emphasis on preserving the park’s natural and cultural resources. This includes prescribed burns, selective thinning of vegetation, and the removal of invasive species. Collaborations with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and the Arkansas Archeological Survey will help protect historic and prehistoric cultural sites within the park.
Accessibility and Infrastructure Improvements
The plan also outlines updates to parking, vehicle circulation, and ADA accessibility, ensuring that all visitors can enjoy the park’s amenities. Upgrades to overnight accommodations and enhancements to water-based recreation are additional priorities.
Approval and Next Steps
The draft master plan received support from the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission in August 2024 and was formally approved in November 2024. These proposed improvements mark a significant step in maintaining Petit Jean State Park’s legacy while enhancing its appeal for future generations. This is the beginning of a long process. You can read the entire plan here.
For those passionate about outdoor recreation, Petit Jean is set to become an even more dynamic destination, offering opportunities for adventure, exploration, and connection to nature.
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3 Responses
Petit Jean is a treasure. Removing invasive species, prescribed burns and selective thinning are good practices. Please Please Please don’t turn this State park jewel into a Johnny Morris type of “nature area.” And there are so many areas in Arkansas already for rock climbing and mountain biking and Petit Jean doesn’t have to cater to those as well. Can we not enjoy the natural beauty of Petit Jean as it is?
This is a compendium of very bad ideas. Petit Jean Mountain does not require destructive new amusement-park-type attractions to lure visitors. It is already overrun. Before one more tree is cut, or one more square foot of turtle rocks is bulldozed, the state park administration should be made to demonstrate that it has the will and resources to protect what it has right now–something that it has not done. The vandalism to archeological sites in Petit Jean State Park is absolutely shocking, and now the ADPHT wants new toys when it cannot take care of the old? I don’t think so. Petit Jean’s attraction is natural. It needs no enhancement by the Waltons or anyone else to make people want to come here.
Petit Jean State Park is a jewel in the forest. The people that go there seek it out for that reason. the state of Arkansas is being Reckless and malicious to its history and the people of that mountain.
Shame Shame on the state of Arkansas for looking for something to waste money on.
there is an adequate bike trail. There are plenty of wheelchair accessible viewpoints and walking tracks. Stop the madness with the bicycles and the rock climbing. leave our Trails natural