The view spread for miles, encompassing much of the Arkansas River Valley, as well as exposing the forested slopes of the distant Ozark mountains. Standing at the overlook on the west end of Petit Jean, one can look east up the river canyon that bisects much of the mountain and hear the distant thunder of the water as it tumbles over Cedar Falls. The first state park in the Arkansas system is an awesome place to visit and is full of natural wonders, historic sites, and even romantic stories that exceed those in soap operas.
Geologic sites include a large natural bridge, hidden grottos, numerous springs, fossils and a large waterfall. Rock House cave, a large indentation in the sandstone cliff a hundred or more feet above the falls, contains pictographs drawn by Native Americans over 200 years before. It's easy to pick out on the sandstone roof of the cave.
One can detect paddle fish, Native headdresses and even some serious doodling. Exiting back up the trail, one discovers turtle rocks, huge mounds of sandstone that resemble herds of huge turtles scrambling up the slopes. Petit Jean became a state park through the work of Thomas Hardison, a lumber company employee who saw the potential of using the natural beauty of the area to attract tourists and to preserve nature.
He convinced the Fort Smith Lumber Company to donate the land for public use. Failing in an attempt to have it declared a National Park, in 1923 he convinced the state legislature to set aside the land as the f.