All About Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park is a national park in the middle of a historic city with the natural wonders of thermal hot springs.
Hot Springs National Park was originally a city where people would bring their sick to soak in the healing waters of the ancient thermal springs, known as the American Spa. The historic Army and Navy Hospital is in Hot Springs because of the hot springs and their healing nature.
In addition to the springs, visitors can view the grand architecture of the historic bathhouses, take in the mountain views, walk the length of the sunset trail, and get a drink from the Superior Bathhouse Brewery.
What to do at Hot Springs National Park
While the only place to go into the hot springs is in the two public bathhouses, there are many areas along the trails where you can view the natural springs and three places where you can feel the water. The water comes out of the ground at 147 degrees Fahrenheit but is safe to touch by the time it reaches the pools at Display Spring, Hot Water Cascade, and the Fordyce Fountains.
There are also nine places where you can drink some of the mineral hot springs water:
- In front of the Libbey Memorial Physical Medicine Center on Reserve St. (hot water)
- In front of the National Park Service Administration Building on Reserve St. (hot water)
- Between the Hale and Maurice Bathhouses on the Bathhouse Row (hot water)
- The Noble Fountain on Reserve St. (hot water)
- The Dripping Spring between the Hale and Maurice Bathhouses (hot water)
- The Shell Fountain on the Stevens Balustrade (hot water)
- Outside the park boundaries at the Hill
- Wheatley Plaza on Central Ave. (hot water)
- Happy Hollow (cold water)
Whittington Spring (cold water)
The Best Trails and Hikes at Hot Springs
- Grand Promenade Trail
- Oertel Trail
- Peak Trail
- Tufa Terrace Trail
- Canyon Trail
- Whittington Trail
- West Mountain Trail
Grand Promenade
Things to do at Hot Springs National Park
- Walk along Bathhouse Row to see the historic buildings
- Shop one of the many shops in the downtown area
- Take a dip in the thermal water of the hot springs
- Drink the water from one of the natural water fountains
- Bike on any of the paved trails through the park
- Go to the Mountain Tower
What to see at Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs Visitor Center
Hot Springs Visitor Center
The Visitor Center for Hot Springs National Park is in the Fordyce Bathhouse at 369 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AK 71901. There’s also a museum in this Bathhouse with historical information about the area. While at the park’s visitor center, you can speak with a park ranger about the trail status, and ideas for what to do while there, join a ranger program, get your Passport Book stamp, and pick up a Junior Ranger book.
If you are looking for the official park store, it’s in a different bathhouse. You’ll find the gift shop and bookstore at the Lamar Bathhouse at 301 Central Avenue. There’s also a gift shop at the Hot Springs Mountain Tower.
Passport Book Stamp Location
National Park Passport Book Stamp Locations
- Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum
- Lamar Bathhouse Emporium
(behind the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center)
Hot Springs National Park Basics
369 Central Avenue,
Hot Springs, AK 71901
Free
Central Time Zone
1921
Location, Phone Number, and Address
Hot Springs National Park is located in central Arkansas. The official address for Hot Springs National Park is the Fordyce Bathhouse at 369 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AK 71901. To reach the park by phone, call 501-620-6715.
What are the Entrance Fees for Hot Springs?
Hot Springs National Park does not have an entrance fee, so it’s free to visit any time of the year. The only thing you’ll pay for is a camping reservation at the Gulpha Gorge Campground or a Hot Springs reservation for one of the spa services in either the Quapaw Bathhouse or the Buckstaff Bathhouse.
Current as of July 2024
What Time Zone is Hot Springs National Park in?
Hot Springs National Park is in the Central Time Zone in the United States (UMT/GMC -5 hours).
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Thanks to the mild weather most of the year, there’s not a bad time to visit Hot Springs National Park. The summer months can get warm, up to about 90 degrees, and humid. The winter months are much cooler with the average temperature around freezing. Spring and fall are great times to go, but typically have the most rainfall.
When did Hot Springs become a National Park?
Hot Springs is different than most national parks since it’s part of a city. The city of Hot Springs was incorporated on January 10, 1851, a city known for Major League Baseball spring training, illegal gambling, prohibition speakeasies, Al Capone and other gangsters, horse racing, and the Army and Navy Hospital. The town of Hot Springs became part of the National Park Service on March 4, 1921, changing the name from Hot Springs Reservation to Hot Springs National Park.
How Big is Hot Springs National Park?
Before Gateway Arch became a national park in 2018, Hot Springs National Park was the smallest national park in the United States. Now, it’s currently the second smallest park with only 5,549 acres, about 8.6 square miles of land.
Park Website
Always check the official park site for the most up-to-date information, hours, prices, and conditions.
Travel Tips for Hot Springs National Park
Driving Through Hot Springs National Park
There are six scenic overlooks and two scenic drives in Hot Springs National Park and the surrounding area. The Hot Springs Mountain Scenic Drive has switchbacks that will take you to a picnic area, the Pagoda overlooks, and the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The West Mountain Drive leads to Summit Loop with three overlooks.
Arlington Lawn, Grand Promenade, sidewalks on Bathhouse Row, Reserve Street, and Fountain Street, except for walk-through traffic, are open from to 5:00 am to 10:00 pm, daily. Roads to Hot Springs Mountain, North Mountain, and West Mountain Summit are open to vehicle traffic from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Where are the National Park Entrances?
Because Hot Springs National Park isn’t a traditional park, but in the middle of a bustling town, there are no official entrances to the park. Whether you are entering the area from the north or the south, the national park buildings are in the middle of town on Highway AR 7.
With no official entrance, it’s not clear where to find the national park entrance sign. If you’re like me, you want a photo of each of those park signs. The park sign is in front of the National Park Service Administration building at the corner of AR 7 (Central Street) and Reserve Street at the south end of Bathhouse Row.
What is the Nearest City to Hot Springs?
Hot Springs is its own city, so that’s the closest if you are looking for accommodations. Just outside of Hot Springs are Lake Hamilton, Rockwell, Piney, and Price. The nearest big city is Little Rock, Arkansas, about 1 hour away.
What is the Nearest Airport to Hot Springs?
The closest small airport is Hot Springs Memorial Field (HOT) but this is a very small airport and doesn’t have very many flights in and out. The nearest large airport is Little Rock (LIT) about 50 miles away.
Itineraries including Hot Springs National Park
Lodging Near Hot Springs National Park
Where to Stay
There’s only one hotel and one campground that are considered part of the national park system. Hotel Hale is a unique hotel with only nine individual suites, each with a large soaking tub that has hot spring water pumped directly into it.
Otherwise, there are numerous hotels and rental homes in Hot Springs and the surrounding small towns.
Campgrounds in the Area
Gulpha Gorge Campground is the only campground in Hot Springs National Park with 40 electric sites. The campground is right along Gulpha Creek to the northeast of Bathhouse Row.
What are the Closest National Parks to Hot Springs National Park?
Gateway Arch
400 miles • 6.25 hour drive
Facts about Hot Springs National Park
The Plants and Animals of Hot Springs
Hot Springs National Park is primarily a forest area with deciduous trees such as oak trees, hickory trees, and pine trees. Many of the trees on these mountains are over 130 years old with some over 200 years old.
Some of the common animals found in the park include white-tailed deer, wild turkey, rabbits, squirrels, opossums, gray foxes, skunks, minks, chipmunks, frogs, and armadillos. There are also some migratory birds that spend part of the year in the area.
What is the Highest Point? What is the Lowest Point?
Music Mountain is the highest point in Hot Springs National Park at a height of 1,405 feet in elevation. The lowest point is at Bull Bayou with only 415 feet of elevation.
Hot Springs Fun Facts
- Hot Springs National Park was the smallest national park, by area, until Gateway Arch was designated as a national park in 2018.
- The Hot Springs National Park quarter was the first national park quarter made when the America the Beautiful coin series came out.
- The hot springs flow from Hot Springs Mountain, which is part of the Ouachita Mountains.
- In some ways, Hot Springs National Park is actually older than Yellowstone. It was set aside as federal lands on April 20, 1832, by President Andrew Jackson.
- Hot Springs National Park is visited by an average of 2 million people per year.
- A non-profit group called Friends of Hot Springs National Park helps raise funds for park projects and initiatives.