Fantastic Feathers: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

29 October, 2025

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

This post may contain affiliate links; clicking on those links may earn us some commission without any additional cost to you.

Hot Springs National Park is located in Central Arkansas. It is the oldest protected area in the US, established in 1832. The Park protects its natural thermal springs, which are believed to have therapeutic and healing properties.

This National park won't impress like Yellowstone, but it has a great history and charm. We spent half a day here.

How to Reach?

We drove from Austin, Tx. Hot Springs is 4.5 hrs away from Dallas and 1 hr away from Little Rock.

You can check flight options here.

Check accommodations:

Rental car options here.

There is no entrance fee to visit this National Park!

Things to do in Hot Springs National Park

Pin it for later!

1. Visit Fordyce Bathhouse Museum

Bathhouse Row is a line-up of several bathhouses, spas, and a visitor center with some natural hot springs. We parked in a parking lot in the opposite lane of the Quapaw bathhouse. (Free parking at 128 Exchange Street)

It is an easy walk across the street from there. We started our walk from the Fordyce Bathhouse Museum. The museum has displays on the history of the bathhouse, geology, and how these thermal springs helped many people to heal. We saw the exhibits like the spa, bathhouses in the old days, their attire, the sculptures, the architecture of the building etc.,

This is a nice place for the introduction of the park. We also got to know the different minerals present in Hot springs.

2. Taste the Hotsprings

We visited this place in Winter. The fountain is at the corner when you turn left from the Park administration building. It's called Hot water cascade. We filled our bottle with water.

The water is very hot, but the taste is great. I was expecting a strong smell of minerals.

This is the only public place where you can taste the natural springs. Also, visit the Display Spring near Maurice Bathhouse. You can touch the water.

3. Walk along the bathhouse row

There are 8 bathhouses with a spa and a bathhouse inside. To visit, you need to reserve, or you can visit as per availability.

We didn't go to every bathhouse, but we took pictures from outside. I love the colorful Buckstaff Bathhouse. The architecture of a few other bathhouses is also great.

4. Hike the easy Grand Promenade trail

Grand Promenade trail is a short, easy walk of 0.7 miles that goes behind the historic bathhouse row and continues to the front of these buildings.

At the end of the bathhouse row, you can check the beautiful historic 'Arlington Hotel'.

5. Drive to Hotsprings Mountain Tower

Hot Springs Mountain Tower has 2 decks - the top deck gives panoramic views, whereas, lower deck has some exhibits on the national park history. A short drive takes us to the tower.