Exploring Hot Springs National Park: Best Tips + Activities

Exploring Hot Springs National Park is an adventure like no other! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we’re diving into one of the country’s most-visited parks, uncovering its fascinating history, rejuvenating thermal waters, and unique attractions. From historic bathhouses and a craft brewery to scenic trails and mountain views, Hot Springs has something for everyone. Let’s explore what makes this remarkable park a must-visit destination!

Podcast Episode Overview

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we’re taking a deep dive into Hot Springs National Park!

As one of the most-visited national parks in the country, Hot Springs is a destination packed with history, relaxation, and unique experiences. Today, we’re uncovering everything that makes this incredible park so special, from its relaxing waters to its other unique experiences.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What Hot Springs is and why it is so special
What makes this park unlike any other national park you’ll go to
The breweries and snacks you can get in the park
What to expect in the different bathhouses
Where to try the mineral water- yes, you can actually drink it!

We hope you loved learning all about Hot Springs National Park! Don’t forget, we’ll be diving even deeper into this park in our upcoming Fun Facts episode, so make sure you tune in.

And don’t forget to complete your task for the week! Which bathhouse would you choose? Or, if you’ve already been, what did you love most about your experience? Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and share your experience with us!

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:

Listen here.

What is Hot Springs National Park?

If you can believe it, Hot Springs National Park draws in many visitors, standing as the 14th most-visited national park in the United States.

It was also one of the first federally protected areas, designated by President Andrew Jackson in 1832 as a natural resource reservation officially known as Hot Springs Reservation. That means Hot Springs technically was on its way to becoming a national park even before Yellowstone National Park!

The park’s early protection speaks to the importance of its natural resources, specifically the thermal spring water. Before modern medicine, people sought natural remedies for their ailments. Natural springs were thought to heal diseases and other afflictions.

The City of Hot Springs sprang up around people flocking to the ancient thermal springs to drink and bathe in the water at the order of their doctors. As quickly as Hot Springs was built up as a medical destination, the town lost its relevance as we learned how to treat different illnesses with more modern medicine.

For a while, the town of Hot Springs became a ghost town until its revival decades later as a national park. Medical buildings initially built for medical travelers have been repurposed over the years as the town has transformed into a tourist destination.

Hot Springs National Park is unlike any other park you’ve been to. You have to appreciate the area’s rich human history alongside the precious natural resources and thermal waters being protected to enjoy what this unique park offers.

Learn about the history of Hot Springs National Park

Bathhouse Row is the place to go in the park. It’s where all the historic bathhouses are located, including Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center, one of the most remarkable visitor centers we’ve ever been to.

Walking through the Fordyce Bathhouse, you get a clear picture of Hot Springs, Arkansas, when it was thriving. The rich and glamorous elites of the United States would come to Hot Springs for a spa retreat. Even Babe Ruth found his way to Hot Springs to recover for the next season.

Lamar Bathhouse was revitalized into the Bathhouse Row Emporium and serves as the park’s store. Superior Bathhouse has been transformed into the Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which uses the hot thermal water to brew craft beers and root beer. We loved the root beer! They’re also the only brewery in the world that uses thermal water to brew their beer.

Dive into the thermal spring water

You can’t go to Hot Springs National Park without experiencing the thermal waters that spring forth from the mountains!

You can soak in the thermal spring water in two places in the historic Bathhouse Row. The first is Quapaw Bathhouse. Here, you can soak in pools like Harry Potter in the prefect bathroom in the Goblet of Fire. It’s the nicer of the two useable bathhouses, offering private baths and spa treatments.

The Buckstaff Bathhouse has been continuously open since 1912. It’s the superior experience if you’re looking for the historic bathhouse experience. You can soak in a bath hall just like Babe Ruth did! We loved it here.

They separate the men and women so you can have the full experience as people did in the early 1900s. You have an attendant who walks you through each station. You start in the whirlpool tub; then you move to a sitz bath; then it’s time for the steam box; then you take a needle shower. It’s quite the experience! You can add on a massage and other experiences if you’d like.

Hale Bathhouse has been transformed into Hotel Hale, where you can privately bathe in the thermal water because they pump the spring water into each room’s bathtub. It’s worth noting that kids are not allowed in the Quapaw or Buckstaff Bathhouse.

Behind Bathhouse Row is the Grand Promenade. This is where people would walk to show themselves off between bath treatments. The Grand Promenade also leads to where the hot spring water comes out of the Ouachita Mountains.

There are several spigots around Hot Springs where you can drink the spring water, either hot or cold. We made hot chocolate from the hot water spigot at the end of Bathhouse Row! The water here tastes fantastic!

Hiking and camping in Hot Springs

Besides the incredible history of this urban national park, there are miles of trails to explore as well. North Mountain and West Mountain are a short drive away if you’re looking for a wilder experience after your bathhouse visit. We don’t recommend visiting Hot Springs if you’re only looking for a ton of outdoor activities. Bathhouse Row and the downtown area really are the highlight of the park!

We’ve loved staying at Gulpha Gorge Campground with our RV. Several hiking trails leave from this area, including Goat Rock Trail.

If you have extra time, we recommend going up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The drive up there is gorgeous, and the tower takes you 216 feet above the ground, with an observation deck with great views of Hot Springs and the surrounding area. There’s even a gift shop up there!

You can also check out the Hot Springs Mountain Scenic Drive, which will give you those mountain views you might be craving – though the mountains of central Arkansas are very different than what you find in parks like Rocky Mountain or Glacier!

Make sure you tune in to our Hot Springs fun fact episode! We think fully appreciating Hot Springs National Park means you have to understand the area’s entire history.

Links mentioned in this podcast episode:

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