Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. Ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.
Alerts
- InformationBurn Ban in Park
Due to high fire danger, Hot Springs National Park has enacted a BURN BAN, August 15, 2026. Only gas and charcoal grills are currently allowed for use in the campground and picnic areas.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Public Areas and Park Roads | Daily · 5:00AM - 10:00PM |
When to go
June draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Gulpha Gorge Campground | 44 sites | |
| $34 a night · The campground is open year around. Gulpha Gorge Picnic Area, Gulpha Gorge Campground, and Gulpha Gorge Amphitheater are open to the public from Sunrise to… | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum ↗Passport stamp
The Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum is a restored historic bathhouse with exhibits and interpretive films. Park staff is on-site to offer visitor information and public programming.
Explore
Trails and hikes
These are the walks the Park Service lists for Hot Springs. Each one opens on the Park Service site.
- Goat Rock Trail30-75 Minutes
The Goat Rock trail offers stunning views of the Ouachita Mountains and the recharge zone for the thermal springs. Limited parking is available at the overlook on North Mountain. The trailhead starts south of the parking area.
- Become a Hot Springs Junior Ranger30-60 Minutes
Kids visiting Hot Springs National Park may earn a Junior Ranger badge by completing a number of activities as they explore the park. The Junior Ranger booklet is available at the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center.
- Camp at the Gulpha Gorge Campground1-14 Days
BASIC INFORMATION Camping at Gulpha Gorge Campground costs $34 per night for all sites. All sites have full hookups: 30 and 50 amp electric, water and sewer connections. Sites are not pull-through.
- Oak Trail25-45 Minutes
The northeastern end of Oak Trail is mostly flat. The trail is fairly steep for a short distance between West Mountain Trail and West Mountain Drive.
- An Overview: Hot Springs and North Mountain Trails30-300 Minutes
The Hot Springs and North Mountain trails are popular since they are easy to reach and provide scenic views. You can get to these trails via Stephen’s Balustrade (grand staircase) behind the Fordyce Bathhouse, Hot Springs Mountain Drive, and the…
- Honeysuckle Trail20-45 Minutes
Honeysuckle Trail connects Peak Trail with Hot Springs Mountain Trail.
Show all 12Hide
- Short Cut Trail10-25 Minutes
Short Cut Trail connects Oertel Trail with Hot Springs Mountain Trail near the picnic area atop Hot Springs Mountain.
- West Mountain Trail30-60 Minutes
Both sections of West Mountain Trail have gradual change in elevation. Note: West Mountain Trail can be made into a loop by using Mountain Top Trail (elevation change: 400 feet in this section).
- Whittington Trail20-45 Minutes
The flat, gravel trail is popular with joggers and walkers. Whittington Trail loops around Whittington Park.
- Mountain Top Trail45-75 Minutes
Mountaintop trail can be linked with Canyon Trail and West Mountain trail to complete a loop around West Mountain. If hiking southward, the trail is strenuous, as it gains elevation quickly.
- Canyon Trail25-45 Minutes
The West Mountain trails can be reached from downtown via Canyon Trail. The trailhead is behind the Mountain Valley Water building. The section between West Mountain Drive and West Mountain Trail is very steep.
- Pullman Trail25-45 Minutes
The Pullman Trail is the only trail in the park that allows bicycles. This moderate trail passes an archeological site and connects with the city's Northwoods Trails.
These are named Forest Service trails on National Forest land within 15 miles of Hot Springs. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured to the nearer end of the trail. Every named Forest Service trail on Trailhead Atlas.
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Fordyce Tour10/1402:00 PM · runs through Nov 1 · freeThis tour takes place with the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum at 369 Central Avenue.
- 10:30 AM · runs through Nov 1 · freeProgram begins at the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum, at 369 Central Avenue
- International Archeology Day10/1710:00 AM · freeArlington Lawn. 325 Central Avenue
- Art in the Park Workshop. "Digital Wonder"10/2410:00 AM · freeGulpha Gorge Picnic Area
- Ghosts of Hot Springs10/2406:30 PM · freeGulpha Gorge Campground
- Park Chats10/2812:00 PM · freeGarland County Library
Show all 10Hide
- Art in Park Program. "Geothermal Zoom: Into the Art10/3010:00 AM · freeHot Springs Mountain
- Run with a Ranger10/3109:00 AM · free
- Artist in Residence: Culminating Program11/0110:00 AM · free
- Hot Springs Hikes11/1410:00 AM · runs through Dec 12 · freePrograms begin at various points in the park.
News
- Celebrate Hot Springs’ Famous Water at the Hot Springs Water Festival ↗2026-09-28
Hot Springs National Park will host the annual Hot Springs Water Festival on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Arlington Lawn near historic Bathhouse Row.
- Hot Springs National Park awards new concession contract for Buckstaff Bathhouse ↗2026-09-22
Hot Springs National Park today announced a new 10-year concession contract that will expand visitor access to traditional bathing services at Buckstaff Bathhouse, including longer operating hours and advance…
- Hot Springs Celebrates America's 250th Birthday with Red, White, and YOU: Picnic and Parade ↗2026-06-29
Hot Springs National Park will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a full day of patriotic festivities on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for Hot Springs National Park and the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Local history books for Hot Springs National Park
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 3× · Belted Kingfisher 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 97 birds, 49 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Merlin · Osprey · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersBlue Goose · Canada Goose · Common Teal · Great Blue Heron · Little Blue Heron
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Killdeer
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Rock dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Black-and-white Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Chuck-will's-widow · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Starling · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood Pewee · Field Sparrow · Fish Crow · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Gray-cheeked Thrush · Great Crested Flycatcher · Greater Roadrunner · Hermit Thrush · House Sparrow · Indigo Bunting · Northern Cardinal · Northern Mockingbird · Orchard Oriole · Pine Siskin · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Scarlet Tanager · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Attwater's Mouse · Black Rat · Brown Rat · Common Muskrat · Cotton Deermouse · Deer Mouse · Eastern Chipmunk · Eastern Cottontail · Eastern Fox Squirrel · Eastern Gray Squirrel · Eastern Mole · Eastern Woodrat · Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew · Fulvous Harvest Mouse · Golden Mouse · Hispid Cotton Rat · House Mouse · Pine Vole · Southeastern Shrew · Southern Flying Squirrel · Southern Short-tailed Shrew · White-footed Deermouse · bee shrew · mole shrew
PredatorsAmerican Black Bear · American Mink · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Common Otter · Coyote · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · Eastern Pipistrelle · Eastern Red Bat · Evening Bat · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Bat · Northern Bat · Southeastern Myotis
Also on the checklistGroundhog · Virginia Opossum · long-nosed armadillo
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 17 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Average temperatures in Hot Springs can range from about 90°F (32°C) to less than 27°F (-2.7°C). Summer days can be hot and humid, with heat index values up to 110ºF (43ºC). Winter wind chills can make temperatures feel much colder, as low as 15ºF (-9.4ºC). Spring and fall typically have the most rainfall. Generally, Hot Springs experiences mild weather throughout the year.
Questions people ask
Does Hot Springs charge an entrance fee?
No. Hot Springs is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Hot Springs?
Standard hours are 5:00AM - 10:00PM, every day.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Hot Springs?
Yes. The Park Service lists 1 campground in Hot Springs: Gulpha Gorge. 1 takes reservations through Recreation.gov.
Which Hot Springs campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: Gulpha Gorge. Electric hookups: Gulpha Gorge.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Hot Springs right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Burn Ban in Park.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Hot Springs?
2,494,611 recreation visits in 2025, number 38 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Hot Springs?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Hot Springs?
Average temperatures in Hot Springs can range from about 90°F (32°C) to less than 27°F (-2.7°C). Summer days can be hot and humid, with heat index values up to 110ºF (43ºC).
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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