Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
By Kimberly Graf. Published on October 16, 2025
Yellowstone may be wildly hailed as the US's first National Parks, but that isn't the case. The land set aside for this park – Hot Springs National Park – was determined in 1832. While it wasn't a park at that point, the government did realize what a gem this location actually was.
Most of the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas is devoted to the tourism and revenue that comes from this place. It takes up most of the northern part of town, so it is right on the doorstep of everyone who lives there.
Of course, the claim to fame for this National Park is the mineral hot springs, which have been soothing the aches and pains and promoting the health of visitors for decades. All over this National Park, and to some extent the town of Hot Springs, you can find places to take a mineral bath.
The most popular location to do this is along Bathhouse Row. You can still stop into many of the bathhouses along this famous route and soak a bit, even if it's just your feet. There are also thermal fountains open to the public here, where the warm water from the springs is brought up from the ground in beautiful displays.
There are also open hot springs that you can see and experience from the Grand Promenade, or the main walkway through this area. In addition to these wonderful features, there are many museums to visit. Notable attractions are the Buckstaff Baths, which still house functioning bathhouses and have since 1912 – and the Quapaw, which has been converted into a more family-centric spa experience.
The Superior Bathhouse is a gem because it contains a brewery. In addition to being the only brewery situated in a National Park, it's also the only brewery in the country that uses thermal mineral water in the production of its drafts.
Fordyce is the building of most note on this path. Between 1915 and 1962, it was a fairly popular bathhouse that drew tons of revenue and competed with the others on the row. Now, it's the Visitor Center for Hot Springs National Park. It also happens to be a museum with a historical set up. You can walk through displays and rooms that have been restored to their historical glory and function.
There are three floors of rooms and features like that, so make sure that you take the time to look through the lens of the past and see how people used to utilize these structures. There's also, of course, tons of useful information and help finding your way around the Park here.
If you aren't into camping and need a place to stay during your visit, the Arlington Hotel is literally on Bathhouse Row's doorstep. It's a stunning building to visit, and especially great for visiting during Christmastime. The lobby always sets up a huge gingerbread house display, courtesy of the staff.
It's also no secret that Al Capone used to stay here, as it was one of his favorite accommodations. You can't still rent that room, but it is roped off with a plaque as commemoration. It's always fun to sit in the lounge part of the bar and watch the evening's live entertainment after a day hiking in the park.
Speaking of hiking, there are plenty of opportunities for that as well. There are a total of 26 miles of trails around the park. The longest of these, the Sunset Trail, definitely has the most spectacular views. It's a ten-mile hike and will take you to a spectacular place to watch the sunset before turning around.
But if you aren't that experienced a hiker, there are still many trails that you can tackle. On West Mountain, there are tons of one-mile trails that you can experience, and some that are even shorter than that. But there is definitely no shortage of scenery, so even shorter trails will give you plenty to look at.
If you aren't at all interested in hiking, you can still take one of the numerous mountain drives that exist within the park. There are gorgeous scenes from either Hot Springs Drive, West Mountain Drive, or North Mountain Drive. Each of these has a ton of hikes and scenic overlooks to partake in periodically along the way, or you can just sit back and enjoy the view!
Finally, when the day is at a close, you can pull up to Gulpha Gorge Campground and spend the night under the stars in the peaceful Arkansas forest. Hot Springs National Park is one of the oldest plots of lands reserved for its purpose, and it's also one of the most unique and beautiful National Parks that you can experience.
Mary on 12/9/2025, said:
Sounds amazing