Petit Jean Cedar Falls

About this spectacle

Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park drops into a narrow sandstone canyon, sending a veil of water cascading over a rugged cliff face into a cool, shadowed pool below. Visitors follow a forested trail through oak and hickory woodland, hearing the rush of water before the falls come into view. The gorge walls, sculpted by millennia of erosion, frame the scene with rust-red and tan stone layered in dramatic horizontal bands. In spring, the flow is at its most powerful, fed by winter snowmelt and seasonal rains. Summer visits are quieter, with a gentler curtain of water and the chance to wade near the base. Autumn transforms the surrounding canopy into a tapestry of orange and gold, making the canyon even more photogenic. The moderate trail involves some rocky footing and steps, but the payoff is a genuinely secluded waterfall tucked inside one of Arkansas's most beloved state parks.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Mar — May

Getting there

Nearest airport: LIT. Nearest city: Little Rock.

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