Hot Springs National Park

We drove through several states on our way to Hot Springs NP!

Hot Springs National Park. Home of... well, some hot water. And Bill Clinton. This is the smallest of the NPs, it is only about 5,000 acres in size. It exists because the hot water that bubbles up from the ground here has long been believed to have healing properties for those who drink/bathe/experience the goodness. In the late 1800s and early 1900s a very precise regimen for restorative baths was developed and utilized at the various bathhouses that were fed by the hot springs. Unfortunately this meant that the spring water was highly sought after by the companies providing the baths, so there are no natural hot spring pools to be experienced in the park, they are all piped into the buildings along bathhouse row. However, the water is still available for drinking, it is verified as being potable by the NP service right out of the fountains. However, as it is 143ish degrees, it isn't recommended that you partake immediately, most people bottle the water for later enjoyment.

Today there are only 2 bathhouses that still offer spa services: Buckstaff Baths, and Quapaw Baths and Spa. Unfortunately we were not able to partake in any of the spa opportunities here because 1) we got there late, and 2) they are outside our price range. But we were able to check out the lobbies of both of these bath houses. Buckstaff Baths has been operating as a bath/spa since 1912. They offer the traditional healing bath service, as well as massage options. The building itself is definitely aware that it is over 100 years old. It felt cold and heavy inside (typical for that time period I would say) it seems like it is still frequented for its historical significance in providing a 1912 spa experience rather than for offering modern spa amenities as its feature. Quapaw baths, on the other hand, recently finished a remodeling and reopening effort in 2012. It appears to offer a more modern spa experience (while maintaining the historical atmosphere) to complement the historic experience offered at Buckstaff.

The other building that we explored was the Fordyce Bathhouse, which currently houses the park visitor's center and a museum on bathing in the early 1900s. It has exhibits showing the various treatments offered as well as a look into what someone visiting the spa at that time would expect from a modern bathhouse.

 

We also took some pictures at the site at the end of the Grand Promenade where a natural hot spring bubbles out of the side of a hill where visitors can feel the scalding heat of the fresh hot spring water. From there we drove up to the top of Hot Springs Mountain to get a view of the park vista. The road wound up the mountain through beautiful fall colors before reaching the top at the Mountain Tower. After seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of the Hot Springs, we decided it was time to set out, our next NP is all the way down in Texas, but by way of Kansas... lots of driving ahead!

Personnel:
The ranger that we met at the park VC seemed like he was on autopilot. He gave us his standard spiel, then handed us his array of brochures, and hurried us on our way. After which we kinda just wandered around the VC/museum at our leisure. However, not far from the park VC, the personnel at the city VC were quite personable and informative and very willing to engage and help us plan our visit effectively. I would suggest going there first.

Climate/weather:
The day was overcast and cool, definitely jacket weather, but it didn't rain, which was nice. If you are visiting for a spa experience it won't matter too much, but there are hiking trails around that may be affected by the weather situation.

Facilities/signage:
We didn't visit the park restrooms... so... they presumably exist. The signage was odd because this park is literally surrounded by the city of Hot Springs National Park (yes, the city includes National Park in its name) so it was hard to know what was real, and what was fake. (hint, look for the National Park symbol.) The park "entrance" signs were very bland. But the signs guiding us through Hot Springs Mtn. Drive were acceptable (it was a 1 way loop... hard to mess that up.)

Hiking experience:
Walking along the streets of a city with some historic buildings. Not what I was expecting from a NP. However, there are 26 miles of hiking trails that wind through the mountains ("mountains") nearby that are pretty, although fairly homogeneous.

Driving experience:
So, we were driving through town, then at some point we were driving in the park, but it was still kinda like we were downtown. Then there was a scenic drive, that kinda felt like driving through a large city park, then we were back in the town at the end of the loop... so... felt like we never left the city. For those of you who have been to Portland it reminded us a lot of Mt. Tabor.

Camping options:
There is one campground, and no backcountry camping. But nearby National Forests do provide camping options. As well as local bridges... although that may be frowned upon. Since you are in the middle of town, there are also hotels. But you have to pay for them. Or sleep in your car. Bam.

Hammockability:
This is where this park excels! There are plenty of great hammock trees in the scenic areas nearby, many of them secluded enough that you don't have line of sight of any buildings or roads! The weather also seemed quite nice for hammocking.

Scenery:
The natural scenery was limited, and consisted simply of a few tree covered hills, which were pretty, but didn't provide a lot of opportunity for immersion. The big "scenery" was really the historical significance and experience of bathhouse row, specifically the museum and historic bathhouse opportunities.

Nearby food:
Well, it is in the middle of the town of Hot Springs, and there is food in towns, so if you just walk across the street, you can find sustenance.


Lets be honest, this park wasn't our favorite. It has some cool historic significance, but it really isn't an inspiring visit unless you are a person who firmly believes in the healing and restorative power of the hot springs themselves. If you somehow find yourself cruising through the middle of Arkansas looking for something to do, maybe stop by and book a day at the spa, otherwise... maybe not worth your time.

Next stop: Big Bend National Park in Texas! Lots of driving ahead including a stop in Kansas and a traverse of Oklahoma... and Texas... which is non-trivial.