Explore Hot Springs: Bathhouses, Springs, and Trails

Hot Springs brings together bathhouse history, thermal springs, and trails. Hot Springs National Park includes parts of downtown Hot Springs and completely surrounds it. When choosing a hotel, it may help to decide in advance what you want to focus on during your stay: Are you mainly interested in bathhouse culture, baths and springs, or longer hikes? The city and the park offer different themes to consider as you plan your trip.

Bathhouse Row and the History of the Bathhouses

Bathhouse Row consists of eight bathhouse buildings constructed between 1892 and 1923. Bathhouse Row and the Grand Promenade were jointly designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987. Construction therefore spanned from the late 19th century to the first decades of the 20th century; the designation includes both named places.

The Fordyce Bathhouse serves as the park’s visitor center and is also a historically furnished museum. Behind the building, the Hot Springs and North Mountain Trails can be accessed via Stephen’s Balustrade. If you are weighing your interest in bathhouse history against hiking, the Fordyce offers a specific point of reference: its museum and visitor center functions meet access to two named trail areas.

The Gangster Museum of America showcases Hot Springs during its heyday from the 1920s through the 1960s. This adds another perspective on the city to the history of the bathhouses. If you choose museums by subject, you can compare the bathhouse history around Bathhouse Row with the city history presented at the Gangster Museum.

Baths and Thermal Springs

The Quapaw Bathhouse offers thermal pools, private baths, and a steam grotto. The Buckstaff Bathhouse has offered baths since it opened in 1912 and has never been completely closed since it began offering them. These provide different points of comparison: Quapaw has three specific bathing facilities, while Buckstaff has a long history of offering baths since 1912. If you are considering Hot Springs for its thermal bathing, you can compare these aspects and find out which bathhouse interests you more.

There are 47 thermal springs in Hot Springs National Park. Hot Water Cascade is the largest visible spring in the park. The number conveys the extent of the springs in the park area, while Hot Water Cascade is one specific named natural feature. When considering the natural attractions for your stay, these details answer two different questions: How many thermal springs are in the park, and which one is the largest visible spring?

Trails and Finding Your Way Around the Park

Hot Springs National Park offers 26 miles of trails accessible from downtown. The Sunset Trail has its own distance details: it is approximately 10 miles one way and forms a loop of about 15 to 17 miles. A one-way route and a loop are different types of routes and should not be treated as interchangeable when planning. The total length of the trails describes what the park offers; the Sunset Trail distances help you gauge a specific route by its approximate length.

The Hot Springs Mountain Tower can be reached by driving up Hot Springs Mountain. This is a different option to consider than the trails: reaching the tower involves driving up the mountain, while the Sunset Trail has specific mileage details for both the one-way route and the loop. So when considering the park’s options, you can distinguish between driving to the tower and taking a hike with a stated distance.

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