Campgrounds and RV parks near Morrilton, AR

Petit Jean State Park is the main draw. The park covers roughly 3,471 acres on top of the mountain and includes over 20 miles of hiking trails leading past Cedar Falls, Seven Hollows, Bear Cave, the Grotto, Natural Bridge, and formations like carpet rocks and turtle rocks. Cedar Falls drops roughly 91 feet and is the signature hike. Lake Bailey, a 100-acre CCC-built lake, is open to fishing, kayaking, and pedal boating, with a self-serve kayak kiosk next to the lake and a seasonal boathouse offering rentals and a snack bar. Guided climbing is available at Seven Hollows through Frontier Climbing Co. Off the mountain, the Museum of Automobiles sits on Petit Jean, and the town of Morrilton has grocery, fuel, and hardware stops for provisioning before the climb.

Morrilton has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, mild springs and falls, and short cool winters. Spring is the wettest stretch, with May typically the rainiest month, and thunderstorms are common from March through June. Trails around Cedar Falls run fullest in spring, which is also peak hiking season. Summer is hot and humid, with July highs averaging around 92 degrees Fahrenheit and heat indices frequently much higher. Lake Bailey and the park's two swimming pools become the midday retreat. This is the busiest camping window at Petit Jean, and holiday weekends fill months ahead. Fall brings cooler, drier weather and strong color on the hardwood ridges, typically peaking in late October and early November. Winter is quieter: the state park campground stays open year-round, though the boathouse and water rentals close. Occasional snow and ice can affect the mountain road, so renters traveling December through February should watch forecasts before the climb.

The Petit Jean State Park campground has 125 individual sites across four loops, including 26 pull-throughs. Loop A sits along Lake Bailey with 35 full-hookup sites offering 50-amp electric, water, and sewer, while the 90 sites in Loops B, C, and D have 30-amp electric and water. Standard rigs up to about 40 feet fit, but not every site is level or long, so confirm site dimensions when booking a larger rental. On-site amenities include a dump station, hot showers and flush toilets in each loop bathhouse, two swimming pools, playgrounds, picnic pavilions, a boat ramp, tennis and basketball courts, and an amphitheater. Pets are allowed at campsites on leash. Cell coverage on the mountain is spotty depending on carrier, so downloading maps and reservation confirmations before arrival is recommended.