Visitors flock to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas for its natural thermal spring baths and hiking trails, but there's more to do in the area than just soak in the healing waters. The Hot Springs Mountain Tower is a great place to view the city and the surrounding landscape.
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— indulging in spa services, watching the steam rise from exposed springs, hiking and biking the mountain trails, enjoying delectable meals and much more. In 2021, 2.1 million people visited Hot Springs National Park, which is about an hour's drive southwest of Little Rock, Arkansas. The park has no entrance fee.
On its way upward, the heated water passes quickly through cooler ground water, which removes some of the heat before the water surfaces. The water temperature of the springs is still hot enough to eliminate harmful bacteria — an average 143 degrees Fahrenheit.
Are there outdoor springs to soak in? No, there are not. However, since the mid-19th century, bathhouses have been a staple of Hot Springs, Arkansas, as a way for visitors to experience the region's famous spring water. This tradition still carries on today in Hot Springs National Park.
We recommend getting out of the water for 5 minutes every 15 minutes or so. This largely depends on the temperature of the pool you're in. You might need to get out more often in a hotter pool and less in a mild pool. Listen to your body.
The best time to visit Hot Springs is August to October and February to April. Many of the attractions in and around Hot Springs revolve around the water, so travelers will be most comfortable visiting during the warmer months, when drying off won't immediately induce shivering.
An underground stone arch aquifer winds through the heart of downtown Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row, a secret that many longtime residents of Hot Springs don't know about, covers the Hot Springs Creek and leads the creek and stormwater runoff from the northern mountains to Lake Hamilton.
Although not scientifically proven to be “magic”, hot springs are known for their healing properties, which is why humans have been taking advantage of them for thousands of years.
Many of the bright colors found in Yellowstone's hydrothermal basins come from “thermophiles” — microorganisms that thrive in hot temperatures. So many individual microorganisms are grouped together—trillions! —that they appear as masses of color.
This prejudice is most clear in public bathing facilities, where tattoos are generally still forbidden, although there is no official ban on them. Even foreign tourists, who are clearly not involved in Japanese organized crime, can be turned away for their tattoos.