Hot Springs National Park guides
12 in-depth guides to Hot Springs National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Hot Springs National Park overview.
Where Downtown Hot Springs Meets the Park
Hot Springs National Park wraps around the north end of the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Storms, Humidity and Tornado Season
Severe weather can happen at any time of year in Hot Springs National Park. A bright, still morning can give way to rough weather with almost no warning.
Bathhouse Row: America's Grandest Spa Architecture
Bathhouse Row lines Central Avenue, the main road through the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Where 43 Thermal Springs Emerge
Forty-three thermal springs are believed to be flowing in the park. They come up through a gap between Hot Springs Mountain and West Mountain, an area roughly 1,500 feet long and 400 feet wide.
Experiencing the Thermal Water Firsthand
The park has no outdoor soaking areas, so soaking happens indoors. Two bathhouses on Bathhouse Row are fed directly by the springs, so guests can fully submerge in the water.
26 Miles of Trails in the Ouachita Mountains
Hiking on the park's trails ranges from short walks to a long loop. The Grand Promenade is the easiest place to start.
Scenic Drives Up Hot Springs and West Mountains
Hot Springs Mountain Drive starts where Fountain Street ends, just off Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs.
History of Hot Springs as a Wellness Destination
The ancient thermal springs are the reason Hot Springs became a place people came to for healing.
Pine-Oak-Hickory Forests and Their Wildlife
Most of the park is forest, and the main type is oak-hickory-pine. In the low basins and on the ridge faces that look north, oaks and hickories dominate.
Gulpha Gorge Campground and Rick's Pond
Gulpha Gorge Campground has 40 sites set right beside Gulpha Creek on the east side of Hot Springs, off US 70B.
West Mountain Trails and Overlook
The West Mountain trails are a set of short, interconnected paths that climb and wind around West Mountain.
Hot Springs Mountain Tower
Hot Springs Mountain Tower stands on Hot Springs Mountain, reached by Hot Springs Mountain Drive.
