waterfall

For the past two years, I have been going to an acupuncturist on a regular basis. My mom and I get up early one morning every week to make the trip to Mountain View. We were familiar with the area, what there was to do, and where to shop based on past experiences in the area and driving through it on our other travels. But being in Mountain View every week has made diligently seek out things to do and experience the town in a whole new way.

So far, we have explored a waterfall, state park, national park, folk village, festivals, crossed a swinging bridge, unique shops, shopped at the farmers market, and eaten at various restaurants around town. Even after two years of learning about the town, there is always something new to learn, a place to experience, a shop to visit, and/or a place to eat. We love that Mountain View has so much to offer and have enjoyed getting to know so many locals. We are always asking them questions about the area, learning about their holiday season, and more just so we can learn more about this uniquely charming folkway town.

Mountain View

Established in the 1870s, Mountain View is known as being the “Folk Music Capital of the World.” This small town embodies a unity of fellowship, support, and charm. Located in the Ozarks, this town focuses on tourism and offers a vast array of unique festivals, shops, amazing food, and hospitality at its best.

Mountain View’s Chamber of Commerce describes the town as being an immersive experience. With attractions like zip lining, a state park, hiking, waterfall, cave, swinging bridge, and more, I would agree that Mountain View is more than just a small town nestled in the Ozarks. Afterall, the area offers a plethora of Bed and Breakfasts, cabins, and other rentals for a reason.

This town is full of traditional trades, such as dulcimer creators, blacksmiths, and more. Featured on the Arkansas PBS show Urban Forge: Ozark Artistry are Mountain View locals who are keeping the skill of metalsmithing alive in their normal lives. While in town, tourists can visit the blacksmith shop and dulcimer shop to see these artists at work and purchase their own treasures.

Attractions in Mountain View

When you visit Mountain View, you are definitely going to want to experience hospitality at its finest by staying in one of their Bed and Breakfast’s! Located around the town square, you will have plenty of shopping and eateries within a short walking distance. Mountain View is centered and focused around its town square, so you will be right in the middle of everything while feeling like you have escaped to a different time.

Ozark Folk Center State Park

So, this state park is probably the most unique in the state. One of Arkansas’s five lodge parks, they are dedicated to preserving the crafts and culture of the Ozarks. The park has hiking trails, a craft village on site, a restaurant on site, concerts in the Craft Village, and shares the parking lot with a ziplining business. The Ozark Highlands Radio is a syndicated program on the stories and music of the Ozarks that is recorded at the park.

If you have an Arkansas State Park passport, do not forget to get a stamp while visiting!

Stone Drive-In Theater

If you like to watch movies on the big screen, then you will love the Stone Drive-In Theater! They are licensed to play big titles and they do it in the biggest way. All you need is a vehicle, radio to play the movie’s audio, and your sweetheart. Just drive on in, settle down, and snuggle up to popcorn in the middle of a field. Now, if that is not old-fashioned romance, I am not sure what is!

Stone County Museum

As a lover of museums, I always like to promote them to everyone I can. I find museums very intriguing, educational, and entertaining. At one museum, I got to fly a simulation airplane!

The Stone County Arkansas Historical Society manages the museum in an effort to preserve the history of its county. They are one of many museums across the state that have a barn quilt on display. So, if you are driving the Quilt Trail, be sure to stop by Stone County Museum for your next quilt block.

Housed in a 1928 school building, the museum’s building is listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places. Renovations are being made in hopes of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

If you want to visit the museum, be sure to call before you go. They are typically open April through October, when Mountain View is at its best. Sometimes during their open season, their volunteers may be unable to open the museum. So, just give them a call ahead of time. Make sure to allow time to explore the museum, as you can expect to spend at least an hour browsing their exhibits.

Peace Pole

The Peace Pole is a memorial located in an often not-so-easy-to-find place. Just off Main Street going west, AmVets Post #7 hosts the pole. It was designed and created to reflect the Ozark region. You will find the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” inscribed on the stone pole in several languages. The North is in Cherokee, West is in Wolof, South is in modern English, and East is the Irish-Gaelic tongue. This phrase was meant to reflect the early inhabitants of Stone County and the Ozark region.

City Park

So, the first time I visited Mountain View’s city park, I just needed a place to stop with my dog. I was very impressed and have since gone back. They have a nice ADA walking trail, disc golf course, sports courts, and other things to do at this park. Definitely not the kind of park that I am used to! The city park is even in walking distance of the square and local Bed and Breakfasts. It is the perfect place to take a walk, get some fresh air, and enjoy time with the family.

Mountain View is the perfect place to vacation or retreat to for relaxation and adventure. The town is quiet and quaint. Bed and Breakfasts are bountiful and provide true Southern hospitality. You will not run out of things to do during your stay. And if you do happen to get bored, visit one of the area attractions – Turkey Creek Schoolhouse, Swinging Bridge, Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail, Blanchard Springs Cavern.

In The Area Attractions

Turkey Creek Schoolhouse

Located about 12 miles south of Mountain View is Turkey Creek Schoolhouse. Unfortunately, this is strictly a roadside attraction, as it resides on private property.

Swinging Bridge

About 6 miles north of Mountain View is a town called Allison. Located at Angler’s Resort is a historical swinging bridge that you walk or drive across.

Mountain Biking

If you are really adventurous, you might enjoy one of Mountain View’s mountain bike trails. There are three of different lengths – White River Bluff is 1.3 miles, Scrappy Mountain is 3.8 miles, and Bad Branch is 5.6 miles.

Blanchard Springs Cavern

A little over 12 miles north of Mountain View is Blanchard Springs Cavern and Recreation Area. During the open season, you can enjoy a pleasantly cool tour through the cave. Located at the Recreation Area is Old Mill and Mirror Lake, which provides fishing and a year-round waterfall over the dam.

What is your favorite thing to do in Mountain View?

My mom has always wanted to visit Petit Jean State Park. In all our adventures when I was a little girl, I am surprised my family had never visited. So, one day we just randomly decided to take off for Petit Jean the next morning!

Honestly, I do not understand why Petit Jean is such a popular tourist attraction. I understand that there are amazing scenic views, waterfalls, the geology is unique, and the mountain has much history. But I feel like everywhere has beauty, history, uniqueness, and can be a waterfall with the right runoff. Regardless, I did really enjoy our visit and learning about its history. It is a place that we intend to go back and visit again (and probably again). So, my lack of understanding its popularity is not going to keep us away from such a beautiful and bountiful state park.

What Makes Petit Jean State Park So Popular (Things to Do)

As Arkansas’s first state park, Petit Jean embodies everything that anyone could hope for in a state park. With less than 3,000 acres, there is plenty of history, hiking, lake activities, lodging, a restaurant, outdoor activities, scenic views, and more that entice people from all over the nation to visit. When Cedar Falls is flowing well, tourism peaks to see its beauty. Natural bridges, creeks, and unique rock formations can be found along the hiking trails.

The most renowned of all the waterfalls at this state park is Cedar Falls, which is on the front of most publications. Cascading 95-feet down over a rocky cliff, this waterfall is one of the most photographed in the state! If you are an experienced hiker, the trail down to the bottom of the falls is quite a rocky experience. For us lazy (or handicapped) people, there is a scenic overlook that consists of a long barrier free boardwalk that leads to an open viewing area. You can even hike down to the falls from this point, as well.

Unique geology and rock formations can be found along trails like Seven Hollows. If you are interested in pictographs, be sure to venture down the Rock House Cave Trail. For a short, easy hike through gigantic sandstone boulders, journey along Bear Cave Trail. On your way to Cedar Falls, take the long route on Cedar Creek Canyon Trail to see more falls and deep pools. Cedar Creek Trail is located above Cedar Falls and will guide you around the top of the waterfall. To see all the park’s nature and wildlife, you will have to be an experienced hiker to trek along the 12-mile Winthrop P. Rockefeller Boy Scout Trail. For a trail that connects park amenities with overlooks, grab a bike or hike the CCC Hike & Bike Trail.

YMCA College Lodge rock ruins at Stout's Point Overlook at Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton, Arkansas

Petit Jean Mountain rises 1,120 feet above the Arkansas River Valley. While no vantage point is any better than the other, the park does have many overlooks that provide a grand view over the valley. Stout’s Point is one of my favorites, as it provides the history of Petit Jean, her gravesite, a fantastic view of the Arkansas River and portion of the Trail of Tears route and has an old YMCA building at this site. A barrier free walkway guides you along the top of the overlook. However, the camp building and Petit Jean’s gravesite must be walked to on rocky ground. While there are other vantage points, the Mary Ann Richter Overlook is a great place to stop at to see Mount Nebo and Mount Magazine. Lastly, the Cedar Falls Overlook provides a barrier free walkway to see the famous Cedar Falls waterfall.

The state park has quite a bit of amenities for people to enjoy. They offer lodging in cabins, Mather Lodge, campsites, and yurts. Mather Lodge holds a lot of history, being the only lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the entire state. Built of native log and stone, the Lodge sits on the bluffs overlooking Cedar Creek Canyon. The restaurant provides the perfect setting to enjoy the 1930s lodge and canyon views.

In addition to hiking, Petit Jean State Park is host to an airport, amphitheater, swimming pools, basketball and tennis court, playgrounds, and more! A boat launch ramp provides access to a lake where you can fish, kayak, and more.

Furthermore, the park is a certified Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Site. In the 1830s, Cherokee Indians and Southeastern tribes experienced a forced migration to Oklahoma along the Arkansas River. The Trail of Tears route included both land and river routes. River routes were often faster and the Arkansas River played an instrumental role in the Indian removal.

How Petit Jean Mountain Got Its Name

Petit Jean Mountain was named after Adrienne Dumont, a young 18th century French woman, who did not like being told no. When her fiancé, Chavet, set off to explore the Louisiana Territory in the New World, she decided to find a way to join him on his voyage. So, she cut her hair and disguised herself as a boy in order to find passage on his ship. The voyage was long and hard, and she was lucky to have survived being a lowly cabin boy. When they neared the mountain, the woman became gravely ill. In her helpless state, it was discovered that she was actually a woman. Her dying wish was to be buried high upon the mountain overlooking the river. Set to marry Adrienne when he returned from the New Worl,d Chavet’s love for her remains today in her burial site on the mountain top and in the naming of the mountain. She was buried under her name on the ship – Petit Jean (Little John).

However, there is much debate on this story being true or not. The preserved burial site is even debatable becuase no one knows anything about where she was actually buried or if she was even buried on top of the mountain. It was just a mound of dirt that we suppose is the site and has since been preserved. But the story is romantic in nature and it is nice to think that it is a true story.

Other theories about the mountain’s name include being named after a local hunter/trapper named Little John that was killed by the Osage Indians in 1732. Another theory on the name comes from the 19th century name for Petit Jean River – Petit Juane. So, whichever story you believe is entirely up to you!

Becoming An Arkansas State Park

Evidence suggests that Native American Indians inhabited the mountain 1,000 years ago. There is also evidence of 100 documented archeological sites and the largest rock art collection in the state. In the 1840s, the first permanent white settlers moved to the area. In 1891, a large mansion was built on the mountain overlooking the Arkansas River and was later converted into Hotel Petit Jean. The property was sold in the 1920s and donated to the Young Men’s Christian Academy. They built several more buildings, in which the rock ruins of the College Lodge can be seen at Stout’s Point Overlook.

In 1906, Dr. Thomas William Hardison explored the rugged area of Petit Jean Mountain and fell in love with its beauty. Pursuing making the mountain a national park, it was declined in 1921 because the land was too small and not unique enough in the United States to be a national park. It was suggested that the proposal be sent to the state to be declared a state park. So, in 1923, the state legislature passed Act 276, which recognized donated lands reserved to be a part of a park and designating Petit Jean as Arkansas’s first state park. In 1927, Act 172 created the Arkansas State Parks Commission and gave them the authority to acquire and oversee land to be reserved as a state park.

Beginning in 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps began constructing facilities like roads, trails, dams, cabins, and Mather Lodge on Petit Jean Mountain. Much of the park’s infrastructure is due to the CCC, as they built most of the park’s significant buildings. The Lodge, administration building, water treatment building, field chimney, and cabins are an example of their work. Roads were constructed to connect overlooks and trails, giving visitors access to more amenities. Trails were constructed for public use and enjoyment through the mountain’s natural beauty. With less than 3,000 acres, Petit Jean offered plenty to see and do and the CCC made sure the public could enjoy all that could be offered. As a result of their efforts, 26 properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, there is ample camping, hiking, and things to do that makes visiting more than just a day trip.

Nearby Attractions

Just down the road from the campsite is the Museum of Automobiles and the petting zoo Barnyard Friends & Stables. Nearby, in the greater area, is Lake Dardanelle State Park and Mount Nebo State Park. Further away is Mount Magazine State Park and the highest point in the state.

Where is your favorite place to visit or hike at Petit Jean State Park?

Tag: waterfall

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