National park preserves hot springs that flow from the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain, with numerous hiking trails and camping areas, and grandest collection of bathhouses of its kind in North America
General Information
Hot Springs Mountain Tower open 9am daily Closing times vary by month
No entrance fees to national park
Hot Springs Mountain Tower:
$8 Adults
$4.50 for Children ages 5 to 11
$7 for Seniors ages 55 and older
Admission is free for children 4 and younger
How to Get There
From Little Rock (54mi) Merge onto I-630 E. Use any lane to take exit 139A-139B to merge onto I-30 W toward Texarkana. Keep right at the fork to stay on I-30 W, follow signs for Interstate 30 W/Hot Springs/Texarkana. Take exit 111 for US-70 W toward Hot Springs. Continue on US-70 W. Drive to US-70 BUS/E Grand Ave in Hot Springs
Overview
Hot Springs National Park protects the thermal springs at the heart of the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Set aside by Congress in 1832, before the concept of a national park existed, it was the first time the federal government had protected land for public recreational use, and it became a national park outright in 1921.
The springs flow from the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain in the Ouachita range; rather than leaving them as an untouched natural phenomenon, the park manages them to keep the water clean for public use. Until Gateway Arch National Park was redesignated in 2018, Hot Springs held the distinction of being the smallest national park in the country by area.
Because the park includes part of downtown Hot Springs, it's one of the most accessible parks in the system. Its centerpiece, Bathhouse Row, is a National Historic Landmark District containing the country's grandest collection of Gilded Age bathhouses; the Fordyce Bathhouse now serves as the park's visitor center, while the Buckstaff and Quapaw remain in operation as working bathhouses. Hiking trails and camping areas fill out the rest of the park.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Hot Springs National Park", which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
Featured Locations
Jllm06, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Bathhouse Row
Historic collection of early twentieth-century bathhouses, museums, shops, spas, and public buildings centered around naturally heated thermal springs.
Fordyce Bathhouse
Restored early twentieth-century bathhouse featuring preserved bathing facilities, historic exhibits, interpretive displays, period furnishings, and a visitor center focused on thermal spring history.
Arlington Hotel
Historic resort hotel offering thermal bath experiences, elegant public spaces, dining, spa services, and accommodations within a landmark early twentieth-century building.
