Hot Springs
National Park
About Hot Springs
Visited – September 2019 (#12 of 63)
Established (as NP) March 1921
5.5K acres (about 1/400 the size of Yellowstone) -By far the smallest NP until Gateway Arch became a National Park
Where is Hot Springs: In central Arkansas, about 50 miles southwest of Little Rock.
Recommendations
Don’t miss: While the bathhouses are the main historical draw, take a hike or drive up to Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The views are nice and they have a lot of historical exhibits (including some fun baseball history).
When to visit: Fall or spring is best. It’s humid and more crowded in the summer.
How long to stay: We spent a full day and you don’t need much. 2 days max if you want to try to take a dip.
Check out the Photo Gallery of our best pictures.
Photo Gallery
Hot Springs NPs most notable setting is Bathhouse Row, but there is some beautiful scenery if you head up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. Here are some of the shots we captured.
Link to NPS Info
Click to visit the park’s website with maps, history, and lots of great info on things to do and places to see.
Trip Report
Read about our adventure to Hot Springs…
Hot Springs was the 16th National Park added to the NPS, but some consider it as the first national park as Andrew Jackson signed an act in 1832 preserving the area for future recreation. We obviously weren’t around then and almost all the bathhouses are closed, but our visit was fun and educational.
Hot Springs Blog Posts
Hot Springs Trip Report
As far back in the mid 1800’s, people believed the healing powers of the hot springs could cure many things or at least rejuvenate our ailing bodies. Today, Hot Springs National Park is the only national park that encourages visitors to consume its resources.We...