(My recent trip to Petit Jean Mountain was sponsored byย Winthrop Rockefeller Institute which provided food and lodging. As always, opinions are my own.)
Riddle me this. How can it beย that I have made fifty-two trips around the sun yet NEVER managed to drive to Petit Jean Mountain? Yes, this oversight has been corrected. Finally.
Petit Jean, where have you been all my life?
Just South of I-40 near Morrilltonโonly 4ย hours from where you grew up.ย
For shame. What took so long?
Petit Jean Mountain is paradiseย aboveย the banks of the Arkansas River, as stunningย as anything I’ve ever seen. The mountain and Arkansas’ first state park encompasses over 2,600 acres of natural, unspoiled, pristineย forest, streams and geological formationsโa clearย reminder that Someone else is inย charge.
Ohย how I love geology.
The roar ofย Cedar Fallsย can be heard from the parking lot. I was completely awed and unprepared for such beauty.ย Last of the Mohicans beauty, for real.ย ย Rock shelters, once dwellings forย Native Americans, can be found among the bluffs. Evidence of their existence remainsย in the form of pictographs paintedย onย cave walls. In the thirties, the Civilian Conservation Corps built Mather Lodge (the only Arkansas CCC-built lodge), pavilions, several cabins and bridges within the rugged landscapeย of Petit Jean Mountain. What anย incredible place to spend time with your family hiking, camping (you can rent a yurt!), fishing, swimming, thinking, talking, or just being.ย “Just being”ย can often be a great thing.
For reservations and other information on the lodge and cabins, click HERE.)
This stunning area of Arkansas, originally discovered 300+ years ago by French explorers, even comes with its own love story. When Adrienne Dumont, a young Parisian, couldn’t bear the thought of beingย separated from her love, Frenchย explorer Chavet, she disguised herself as a cabin boy and signed on for the New World voyage. Her true identify wasย discovered months later when she became severely ill. Nicknamed Petit Jeanย (French for Little John), she died on the mountain and was buried on the bluff where she spent her final days.
This legend is thought to bring enchantment to the mountain.
I’m a believer.
So was Winthrop Rockefeller.
In the 1950s, Winthrop Rockefeller, (grandson of John D. Rockefeller), fell under the spell ofย Petit Jean Mountain during a visit with hisย WWII buddy who lived in Little Rock. He bought a large portion of the mountain, built a stunning home and established a cattle farm. ย From birth, Rockefeller had beenย instilled with a deep spirit of giving and ascribed to the ideal of “to those whom much is given, much is expected.”ย In 1966, he became the first Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction, advocating for the regular person. His legacy brought about great change to wages, prisons and integration.
Governor Rockefeller said, “Every citizen has the duty to be informed, to be thoughtfully concerned and to participate in the search for solutions.” Amen to that. Couldn’t our society use a big dose of his philosophyย right about now?
Winthrop Rockefeller Institute (WRI), located on Petit Jean Mountain, continues to honor Governor Rockefeller’s legacy by providing a facility dedicated to studying and solving today’s problems concentrating on agriculture, economic development, health and others issues.ย You will be hearing much more from me about WRIย over the next six months as I workย with the instituteย to bring awareness to the incredible work being accomplished there.
But for now just know…on a quiet, inspirational mountaintop, life-changing work isย being done.
Whileย walking the gorgeous grounds, I felt a sense of something larger, an urge to get out of my comfort zone and be part of the solution. There isย astounding history surrounding Petit Jean and WRIโreminders of how far we’ve come as a state and nation and world. And yes, there isย work yet to be done.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Mount Petit Jean. Paradise in the #ArkansasRiverValley. @ARWomenBloggers @Rockefeller @artourism[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Luca Stricagnoli – The Last of the Mohicans, acoustic guitar
Cedar Falls Trail, Petit Jean State Park
Colene says
This is great! We must go there. That looks like our kind of place.
Talya Tate Boerner says
It is wonderful. I can’t wait to spend more time there. You and Tom would love it.
Sarah Shotts says
I have GOT to get myself up that mountain and check out Cedar Falls. We tried to go last fall, but waited too long and all the campsites were taken. Thanks for sharing your adventure and reminding me that I need to get out there. ๐
Jenny Marrs says
I haven’t been to Petit Jean park yet either! How is that possible? It looks incredible… Definitely on my to see this for the summer!
Talya Tate Boerner says
It was my first trip too! Crazy.