Travel Day to Petit Jean

Sunday May 8 – Mother’s Day

Petit Jean State Park

Site #109

Morrilton, Arkansas

The day started out GREAT!!
Carrie called at 7:30 AM to wish me a Happy Mother's Day.
We talked for 80 minutes.  We never seem to run out of things to say.

After that, it took us until 10:15 in the morning

to decide

that we would drive on to Petit Jean State Park. 

We actually were at the dump station by 11:15.  AMAZING!!

We stopped for gas at $3.699 at the convenience store on the Park road to Little Rock.

We had to swing wide to get out of the parking lot

and couldn’t clear one of the cars parked in front of the store.  

The owner came out but he had locked his key fob in the car

and had no way to open his car to be on his way.  

The debating about what to do took forever

and finally David decided to just back Winnona up

so he could make the turn

and avoid the man’s car. 

But of course Winnona pulls a car dolly

with my Honda Accord on it. 

And in backing up,

her turning radius is much better

than the dolly and the result

was scratches from the dolly on both sides of my car. 
Not much of a Mother's Day Present.
:-(

I was NOT PLEASED.

That added at least an hour to our time

so that it was 4:00

by the time we had got to Petit Jean

and talked with the really helpful Derrick

at the Visitor's Center.

There are 4 campground areas

and each is slightly different and can

'accomodate different types of camping

from tents to the biggest rigs.

From water front to fairly deep woods.

The very personable Derrick, at the Visitor's Center,

marked every available site on

the park map and off we went

to check them out.

We decided we'd come here to

slow down after the hectic pace of the

last week with Opry on Tuesday,

Graceland on Thursday and

Hot Springs on Friday.

So we were going to treat ourselves to

a waterfront site, #19.

BUT when we got back to the center,

someone had JUST called and reserved it for tomorrow night

We weren't into setting up for one night

and then moving

so we chose site #109

in the more heavily wooded area.

Also VERY nice, plenty of room and

no concern about rising waters.

With our “senior discount” we paid $19.78 for

two nights.  That rivals all COE prices we’ve seen.

And waterfront is only $2 or $3 more.

The waterfront sites were nearly filled while
here in the woods, there was only one other camper on the entire loop.
Nice and quiet.
Another plus!

On our trip around we saw that Petit Jean

also has Rent-A-Camp and Rent-a-Tepee

These include everything you need to camp

other than a sleeping bag.

AND they come with canoes for $50 a night.

Sleep between 4 and 6.

Really cute I thought and water front.

We are becoming VERY impressed with

Arkansas and their conservation and litter policies. 

They designate part of their

sales tax revenue specifically for conservation

and their state parks. 

Loved this anti-liter slogan.

There is a very nice boat dock and boat house. 

Sure hope we can get out in the kayaks

while we are here

Petit Jean is Arkansas' first state park

and nearly all the buildings were done by the CCC

It is a very nice park and has

what look to be a variety of

excellent hiking trails and

the lake for kayaking.

The restrooms are exceptionally clean with great showers.

David always checks those out.

He has a boondocker's state of mind.

:-)

So here we are for now. 

After the past week with so much going on,

I need some good down time and hope to get it here.