Ancient sandstone formations, hidden canyons, a natural bridge, and a secluded grotto make this 4.5-mile loop one of Arkansas’s most rewarding hiking experiences.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Some trails are memorable for a single destination. Others offer an experience that changes with nearly every turn. The Seven Hollows Trail at Petit Jean State Park belongs firmly in the second category.
Located near Morrilton in the Arkansas River Valley, this 4.5-mile loop takes hikers through narrow sandstone canyons, beneath towering rock formations, across seasonal streams, and into a landscape that helped inspire the creation of Arkansas’s state park system.
It is also a favorite among Arkansas Outside readers. In our reader poll of favorite day hikes in Arkansas, Seven Hollows claimed the top spot with 29.23 percent of the vote.
For October’s Trail of the Month, we’re returning to one of the state’s most distinctive hiking destinations, a place where fall colors, fascinating geology, and more than a century of conservation history come together.
A Trail That Helped Launch Arkansas State Parks
Petit Jean State Park holds a special place in Arkansas history. Established in 1923, it became the state’s first state park, setting the foundation for a system that now protects natural and cultural landscapes across Arkansas.
The rugged terrain around Seven Hollows played an important role in that story. Its steep canyons and rocky landscape were poorly suited to commercial logging, but those same features made the area especially valuable for preservation and recreation.
During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps transformed Petit Jean into a destination for visitors, constructing roads, trails, bridges, cabins, and the historic Mather Lodge. Much of that craftsmanship remains visible throughout the park today.
The Seven Hollows Trail offers an opportunity to explore the natural landscape that made the mountain worth protecting in the first place.
Four Hollows, Countless Discoveries
Despite its name, the trail actually passes through only four of the seven hollows. The remaining three are located on private property.
The trail begins along Highway 154, approximately one mile west of Mather Lodge. From the parking area, hikers follow light blue blazes along a route that alternates between hardwood forest, rocky slopes, and sheltered canyon bottoms.
The differences in habitat are striking. Moist canyon floors support mosses and ferns, while exposed sandstone glades can be hot, dry, and sparsely vegetated. These changing conditions contribute to the remarkable diversity of the hike.
The Natural Bridge
One of the trail’s signature features is the Natural Bridge, a sandstone arch shaped by the gradual erosion of the surrounding rock.
Located approximately 1.3 miles from the trailhead when approached by the shorter route, the formation is an excellent destination for hikers who do not want to complete the full loop.
The surrounding canyon, with its tall sandstone walls and sheltered vegetation, is just as impressive as the bridge itself. Take time to explore the views from the designated trail and appreciate the forces that created this unusual formation.
Turtle Rocks and Sandstone Formations
Elsewhere along the route, rounded sandstone formations known as Turtle Rocks create one of the trail’s most unusual landscapes.
The weathered surfaces resemble the shells of giant turtles emerging from the ground. They are part of the remarkable collection of sandstone features found throughout Petit Jean Mountain.
These exposed areas offer a sharp contrast to the lush, shaded hollows. On a sunny day, the open rock surfaces can feel considerably warmer than the forest just a short distance away.
The Grotto
For many hikers, the Grotto is the highlight of the entire experience.
A short side trail leads into a sheltered box canyon, where a small waterfall can spill over the rock into a pool below. The surrounding sandstone walls create a secluded setting that feels removed from the rest of the park.
The waterfall is seasonal, and its flow depends on recent rainfall. Even during drier conditions, the rock formations and sheltered setting make the side trip worthwhile.
The Grotto is approximately 2.25 miles from the trailhead along the mapped route, making it a natural stopping point for hikers completing the loop.
Why October Is a Great Time to Hike Seven Hollows
Fall is one of the most enjoyable seasons for exploring Petit Jean Mountain. Cooler temperatures make the trail’s climbs and rocky sections more comfortable, while changing leaves bring color to the hardwood forest.
The trail offers more than the typical fall foliage experience. Golden and red leaves contrast with gray sandstone bluffs, green moss, and the dark recesses of the canyons. Fallen leaves collect along the trail, creating a different atmosphere from the lush green conditions of spring and summer.
Peak fall color varies from year to year, and October is often a transition period rather than the peak. Late October into early November can provide especially colorful conditions, depending on temperatures and rainfall.
Photographers will find plenty of subjects beyond foliage, from natural rock formations to the changing light filtering into the hollows.
A Moderate Hike That Deserves Respect
Although the state park’s online listing rates Seven Hollows as moderate, its trail map and guide describe the experience as moderate to strenuous or moderate to hard.
The 4.5-mile distance may not sound particularly demanding, but the terrain makes this more than a casual walk.
Hikers should expect rocky and uneven footing, elevation changes, and sections that can become slippery after rain. Some portions of the trail require careful foot placement, particularly near rock formations and stream crossings.
Arkansas State Parks recommends allowing approximately two to four hours, with four hours a sensible choice for visitors who want to enjoy the scenery, photograph the formations, and take breaks.
Bring sturdy hiking shoes, water, snacks, and a downloaded trail map. The light blue blazes mark the route, but intersections and side trails deserve attention.
The park also cautions visitors that some potentially hazardous locations do not have fences or warning signs. Children should be supervised closely, and hikers should remain on designated trails.
A Longtime Arkansas Outside Favorite
Seven Hollows has been part of the Arkansas Outside story for years.
In a December 2007 article titled An Outside Christmas, we described a Christmas Day hike along the trail, complete with a picnic at the Grotto, time spent enjoying the sunshine near Turtle Rocks, and an appreciation for the dramatic sandstone passages near the end of the loop.
That experience captured something that remains true today. Seven Hollows is a trail worth revisiting in every season.
Nearly two decades later, the trail continues to rank among our favorites, and our readers apparently agree.
More to Explore at Petit Jean
A hike through Seven Hollows can easily become part of a full day or weekend at Petit Jean State Park.
The park features more than 20 miles of hiking trails, including the popular Cedar Falls Trail, which descends into Cedar Creek Canyon to reach the park’s spectacular 90-foot waterfall.
Visitors can also explore the Bear Cave area, Rock House Cave, and scenic overlooks along the mountain.
Recent investments have expanded the park’s recreational offerings, including climbing opportunities in the Seven Hollows area and a guided via ferrata experience. Self-guided climbing requires a permit obtained through the park, and climbing activities are separate from the hiking trail.
For overnight visitors, historic Mather Lodge, cabins, campsites, and yurts provide a variety of accommodations. The lodge restaurant is also a convenient place to finish a day of hiking.
Read more about recent improvements at Petit Jean State Park.
Plan Your Hike: Seven Hollows Trail at a Glance
- Location: Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton, Arkansas
- Distance: 4.5 miles, loop
- Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
- Estimated hiking time: 2 to 4 hours
- Trail markers: Light blue blazes
- Trailhead: Highway 154, approximately one mile west of Mather Lodge
- Best seasons: Fall and spring
- Highlights: Natural Bridge, Turtle Rocks, the Grotto, sandstone canyons, and hardwood forests
- Park address: 1285 Petit Jean Mountain Road, Morrilton, AR 72110
- Park office: (501) 727-5431
Why Seven Hollows Belongs on Your Hiking List
Whether this is your first visit or your twentieth, Seven Hollows has a way of revealing something new. One trip might be remembered for the waterfall at the Grotto, another for the autumn colors or the quiet of the sandstone canyons.
For a trail that offers such an impressive variety of Arkansas landscapes in just four and a half miles, Seven Hollows remains an easy choice for our Trail of the Month.
And as we’ve discovered over the years, it’s a trail that never really gets old.