We took a trip to Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas two years ago and said it was definitely somewhere we could come back. So a few weeks ago when we were brainstorming what to do for our vacation, Cindy brought up the idea of a return trip to Petit Jean. Excellent choice, Mom! We spent Monday morning driving up to the mountain just outside of Morrilton, AR. The cold and rainy weather did not deter us from making excellent time. The kids were fabulous on the way up there, all with a little help from carbohydrates, Billy Jonas and books!
The first night, and every night that followed, was welcomed with a warm fire. 
For a family that does not have a fireplace, it is a nice treat to snuggle up to a cozy fire. 
And with a fire, you just have to have S'mores, right? And that's what we did--every night!
For a family that does not have a fireplace, it is a nice treat to snuggle up to a cozy fire. And with a fire, you just have to have S'mores, right? And that's what we did--every night!We took two major hikes while we were there. On Tuesday, we took the Bear Cave Trail. It's a relatively short trail and is rated "easy to moderate"--perfect for our first hike of the trip. The shortened length was also important because it was extremely cold (less than 40 degrees the entire hike) and the wind was blistering.
They bundled up to make the hike bearable. 
For fun, the kids brought their walkie-talkies. This also allowed the brave and adventurous ones to forge ahead and explore. Gus made an interesting discovery--an armadillo shell and skeleton.
He was pretty proud of finding it. We noticed that it was picked pretty clean, which means someone or something had a very full meal! Further along we found little caves and boulders. 
Mom was quick to point out how warm it was inside the caves as it was sheltered from the winds. The kids found little stopping points here and there to observe nature. 
What a great educational experience! We finally made it to the Bear Cave where the rock walls and tunnels were very beautiful. 
The scenes of the rock tunnels are similar to those seen at Rock City in Tennessee.
They bundled up to make the hike bearable. For fun, the kids brought their walkie-talkies. This also allowed the brave and adventurous ones to forge ahead and explore. Gus made an interesting discovery--an armadillo shell and skeleton.He was pretty proud of finding it. We noticed that it was picked pretty clean, which means someone or something had a very full meal! Further along we found little caves and boulders. Mom was quick to point out how warm it was inside the caves as it was sheltered from the winds. The kids found little stopping points here and there to observe nature. What a great educational experience! We finally made it to the Bear Cave where the rock walls and tunnels were very beautiful. The scenes of the rock tunnels are similar to those seen at Rock City in Tennessee. 
The Wednesday hike, the Cedar Falls Trail, although a bit more challenging in its rating, was a bit more enjoyable, since the wind had died down substantially. 
The trail starts with a steep descent down a rocky mountainside. 
The kids, especially James, did very well, considering how shaky it is on the way down. 
After crossing the creek by its bridge, 
the trail winds through the valley to a pool of water trapped by a bed of boulders. 
This water comes from the Cedar Falls. Unfortunately it was only trickling down this time; last time it seemed to be roaring like Niagra.
But the scene is still surreal and the kids had a grand time making echos, "lifting boulders" 
and walking around soaking up the beautiful nature. 
The jaunt back up the mountain was a little strenuous, but we made it. And as we did after Tuesday's hike, we went inside to the lobby of Mather Lodge to enjoy the expansive fireplace and it's cozy heat.
The trail starts with a steep descent down a rocky mountainside. The kids, especially James, did very well, considering how shaky it is on the way down. After crossing the creek by its bridge, the trail winds through the valley to a pool of water trapped by a bed of boulders. This water comes from the Cedar Falls. Unfortunately it was only trickling down this time; last time it seemed to be roaring like Niagra.But the scene is still surreal and the kids had a grand time making echos, "lifting boulders" and walking around soaking up the beautiful nature. The jaunt back up the mountain was a little strenuous, but we made it. And as we did after Tuesday's hike, we went inside to the lobby of Mather Lodge to enjoy the expansive fireplace and it's cozy heat. The afternoons afforded everyone rest and/or play time. About 80 yards from our cabin was a small playground where the kids pretended to be everything from members of the rebel alliance in The Empire Strikes Back to characters, such as blue meanies, from Yellow Submarine. I guess they could have just swung and slid, but what fun would that have been? Cindy and I were able to get some reading done, sitting by the fire or on the swing on the back porch, and enjoying the tranquility of nature and a little less responsibility.
We did have one family project for the trip--a project of leisure and love. While Cindy and Gus were shopping the other night, they decided to pick up a special puzzle to entertain us while there--Abbey Road. 
We worked on the puzzle at various times during the trip--a little with breakfast, in the afternoons, a little while cooking dinner, a little before bed--it became almost a little bit of an obsession to finish it before we left. I'm pleased to say that at 10:30pm Wednesday evening our masterpiece was finished. 
Dare I say, our puzzle "came together"!
We worked on the puzzle at various times during the trip--a little with breakfast, in the afternoons, a little while cooking dinner, a little before bed--it became almost a little bit of an obsession to finish it before we left. I'm pleased to say that at 10:30pm Wednesday evening our masterpiece was finished. Dare I say, our puzzle "came together"!Throughout our few days there, here are some other memories we'll cherish...
....caramel apples for an afternoon snack
....watching School of Rock every night after bath time and before bedtime
....quoting School of Rock the entire way home
....the electricity going out and eating BBQ hamburgers in the dark
....dropping the glass pickle jar (Sorry, Morrilton Wal-Mart!)
....Dad smelling like "the zoo"
....shooting the marshmallow bow
....playing Clue
....tossing the football
As our hearts and minds (and sometimes our bodies) rested at Petit Jean, it was nice to feel like a family and have a wonderful appreciation for what God has given us--this beautiful planet and a wonderful family to love while on it. Thank you for the memories, Petit Jean! 
1 comment:
Wow Guys! This was so awesome to read through...thanks so much for sharing your trip!
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