Petit Jean State Park

March 21, 2016 Brayden and I took a two day spring break trip to Petit Jean State Park. We could not get two consecutive nights in the same campsite given our last minute plans so I just reserved campsite 43 in campground B for the first night. The park was completely booked except for the overflow camping area. We stayed one night in #43 then packed up and moved the next morning to the overflow campground site #2. The overflow campground was actually pretty nice. It has water and power at each site, just no picnic table and no fire rings. So no campfires are allowed. Overflow site #2 was along the first row of sites that backup to Lake Bailey. Great view with an earth fishing pier that extends about 50 yards into Lake Bailey. Had I looked at the overflow area first I think I would have elected to just camp there both nights.

Brayden Fishing from the Pier on Lake Bailey 

Setup for Some Burgers on the Grill 

Fishing Behind the Campsite in the Overflow Campground

Dinner at Mather Lodge when you get tired of camp food is always a treat. Whenever Brayden sees a prominent rock he feels I need to take his picture on it to send to his mommy.

Brayden on a Rock at Mather Lodge 

After Dinner Trip Down the Boardwalk to Cedar Falls Overlook 

It was an exceptionally windy day on Petit Jean mountain, but the sunset was magnificent. Brayden said it looked like a rainbow because it had so many colors.


Sunset on Lake Bailey Behind Campsite

Sunset on Lake Bailey

Sunset on Lake Bailey

We got up on our second day and took a hike along Cedar Creek. We started at the Cedar Creek bridge and hiked west along the BSA trail (White diamond trail) all the way to the Pioneer Cabin. From the cabin we went down to the northwest along a steep creek back to Cedar Creek, then east along the BSA trail (Red diamond Trail). Although he led the way for much of the hike, my hiking partner was getting tired. To avoid some of the steeper parts of the red diamond trail we blazed a new trail through the woods to the Red Bluff road. We walked the road back to the Cedar Creek Bridge.

Brayden at the Cedar Creek Bridge

Brayden Finds Another Rock Photo Op for His Mom

One of the Bridge Crossings of Cedar Creek

Strongest Boy in the World Lifts Giant Rock


Creek Below the Pioneer Cabin

NO ... We Are Not Lost! 

Stopped as we left the park due to bad connection of trailer braking system. Thank goodness for electronic break controller telling me "No Connection" before we started down the mountain. Once again Brayden found a "big rock" photo Op. This time he let me and Sharky be in the picture too.

Pops, Brayden and Sharky 

Long Pool Recreation Area

March 4, 2016 we took a weekend trip to Long Pool Recreation Area on Big Piney Creek. Brayden and I went up on Friday afternoon and setup camp at campsite #23. Great weather with highs in the 60s. Donna and Hannah joined us in the evening. Jessica came up for the evening with Donna and left us with the kids.

LONG POOL RECREATION AREA CAMPSITE #23

Brayden and I did some fishing on Friday afternoon. He has learned to cast his own lure with very little help. He is totally focused as you can see in these pictures.

Saturday morning Hannah, Brayden and I went for a hike north along Big Piney creek looking for a waterfall that I was told about. Starting from the park water punp house we followed the edge of the creek on a narrow trail until it intersected an old road bed. Later we learned that we could have just followed the road bed all of the way from the park. It was somewhat of a forced march until we reached the waterfall and the kids were excited. But that is just part of the adventure when you explore with Pops.

HANNAH, BRAYDEN AND POPS REST ON THE ROAD ABOVE BIG PINEY CREEK

We reached the waterfall about one mile north of Long Pool Recreation Area. I'm not sure of the name of the falls but some just call it Long Pool Waterfall. It was moss covered about 100 yards across a flat wash from the creek. That morning it was running only a little. Given some rain it would be pretty spectacular.  Worth the hike.

LONG POOL WATERFALL

HANNAH AND BRAYDEN AT LONG POOL WATERFALL

Saturday afternoon we had lots of company when Teresa and Keith came up and later Jessica returned with friends. We got to meet the camp host. Seems that they are serious about only having two cars at a campsite and no parking off the paved surfaces. Returned home safely Sunday afternoon with the kids.

Old Highway 25 Campground

October 9th 2015 Donna and I packed up the camper for a weekend with the family in Heber Springs. No spaces available at JFK Campground so we drove on to Old Highway 25 Campground near Tumbling Shoals, AR. Found a nice campsite in area G site #21 with a view of Greers Ferry Lake. 

Addie, Lily and Zoey stayed Friday night. Although they look pretty calm below there is never a dull moment with these three girls. 

Saturday morning we were treated to some impromptu choreographed cheer routines.   

 

Off the back of the campsite were big boulders down to the lake that made for a good photo op.

Lily

Lily and Zoey n the Dragon Rock.

Addie

Zoey

Saturday we went into Heber Springs to the Clebourne County Ozark Trails Festival on the Cleburne County Courthouse square. We met up with Matt & Sarah. Kerry and Sherry had driven to Pine Bluff, picked up mom then came to the festival. Everyone went back to the Old Highway 25 campground for chili and the Razorback football game. The Razorback game didn't go so well against Alabama, but the chili and treats were a success on a really cool fall evening. 

Kerry helping Zoey with her Stick Art

Large Head Selfie

 Almost Halloween!

Every trip ends with a good laugh when it comes time to go to the sewage dump station. Leaving Old Highway 25 we went to the dump station where two camper trailers were ahead of us. Just the thought of pulling the sewage makes Donna ill. On this day the guy in the trailer in front of us (I think know from somewhere on an Arkansas outdoor TV show) was out talking to the guy who was at the dump station emptying his camper. Apparently, Donna doesn't think this is a time for a social event. When it came our turn Donna courageously gets out to help me hook up the drain hose, but ends up back in the truck with windows up before I get started good. Something about the "glug-glug" of the black water through the flex hose and a faint waft of the content. Like the guy in front of us said "the worst part of camping is backing up and pulling the waste tanks".

Petit Jean State Park

September 10, 2015 we took a weekend trip to Petit Jean State Park. I picked up Brayden from pre-school and left for Petit Jean without Donna (she had to work Friday). We got to the park and found our campsite #91 in campground section C. Not the best section of Petit Jean for 30' of trailer and 20' of pickup truck. Trees were tight around the camping pad such that the camper slide could not extend with the trailer at the back of the pad. We had to pull to the front of the pad to open the slide, then the awning could only be opened about 4'. Area C & D are best suited for small campers, pop-ups and tents, Campground section A is very open great sites with a view of Lake Bailey. Campground B is across the road in a more wooded area, but open enough to fit most any size camper with slides.

We couldn't get a fire started soon enough for Brayden 
to cook hot dogs and s'mores on schmarsh-schmello sticks. 

Campfire hot dogs with black bean salsa and chips with Poppie. 

It just doesn't get much better than this!

Brayden and I spent Friday morning exploring the area along Red Bluff Drive. We found nice overlooks off the road. We walked down to the Rock House Cave past the Turtle Rocks formations. Walked back the trail from the cave to the north side overlook of Cedar Falls.

A long day done we headed back to Russellville. Brayden woke up near Dardanelle, looked in the rear view mirror and said "Poppie! We forgot the trailer". I didn't have the heart to tell him that Nana and Poppie were coming back later Friday evening for a little quiet time. 

I picked up Donna after she got off work and we returned to Petit Jean just in time to catch the sunset from highway 154 entering the park as it set over Mt. Magazine.

Drove around Red Bluff Drive.

 

Dinner with Donna Saturday night,

  Campfire blazing. Burgers on the grill,

Lessons Learned:

• Need to make sure that campsite pad is wide enough for slide out and awing.
• Stay in AA or AAA campsites and at Petit Jean stay in campground area A or B,