We love National Parks. These lands protected from development offer a chance to get back to nature, to see some of the most spectacular landscapes this country has to offer, and to watch wildlife in its natural habitat.
Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas is none of that. It was actually one of the first areas of the country to receive federal protection, but that was well after development had already started and some time before the National Park Service was established.
Natural hot springs in central Arkansas had been used by Native Americans for centuries, but once white folks discovered them, they quickly tried to commercialize access. Eventually, Congress caught on and realized they needed to protect access to the hot springs —which were thought to have healing and restorative benefits — for everyone.
Eventually, the hot springs were brought into the national park system as the 18th national park. But by that time, there had already been a lot of construction around the springs. Bathhouses, starting with rickety shacks before evolving into opulent bathing facilities, pumped hot water from the springs into holding tanks, where it could be cooled enough for people to bathe in it.
An entire medical practice evolved around the springs. Visitors would first go to see a local doctor who would prescribe a bathing regimen to address each patient’s particular ills. Patients would then take their prescription to a bathhouse, and partake in a series of daily baths in the spring water over the course of two to three weeks.
Since the bathing regimen took only a hour or two a day, the town developed other pursuits and activities for people to pass the time. A trail system built on the side of Hot Springs Mountain provided both recreational and therapeutic benefits. Doctors would prescribe specific trails based on the patient’s maladies and condition.
We had a long drive to Hot Springs from Poverty Point. Once we got settled in the Gulpha Gorge Campground, we headed downtown to Bathhouse Row. Since it was the day before my birthday, Mrs. 123 suggested we hit the brewery for some early celebration.
The park is shaped like an elongated donut with downtown Hot Springs in the donut hole, across the street from a row of historic bathhouses.
Bathhouse Row consists of eight buildings that were all once bathhouses. Two still operate as bathhouses, one is the National Park Visitors Center, others house a gift shop, a bakery and a cultural centers. One bathhouse remains vacant, and the last house has been converted into a brewery.
Superior Bathhouse Brewing is the only brewery located within a national park and the only brewery that brews beer using hot spring water. Unlike most hot springs, which are heated via volcanic activity and often come with a sulfur smell, the hot springs in Arkansas are heated by traveling deep into the earth over thousands of years, before being forced rapidly to the surface. The water emerges at 143 degrees Fahrenheit. It contains lots of minerals but tastes like pure, clean water. That allows the brewery to use the water to make beer.
The park service also pumps the hot water into fountains along Bathhouse Row, including a few where you can fill up on water for free. Over our three days there, we repeatedly saw locals pulling up alongside the fountains and filling up to a dozen jugs with water.
The next day, for my birthday, I treated myself to a long hike, trekking a 13-mile loop that consists mainly of the Sunset Trail. Along the way, it started to rain lightly, but even the downpour couldn’t dampen my spirits. I was thrilled to be doing a challenging trail once again.
After lunch, we went down to Bathhouse Row and did a walking tour using the NPS app. We finished in time to take a guided tour of the visitor center, which was once a working bathhouse.
We had planned to return to Superior Brewing for my birthday dinner, but happened to see an ad in the free local paper for a German restaurant. I lived in Germany for three years as a kid when my dad was in the Army, and I’m still quite fond of German food. It’s generally my first choice for a night out. I just wasn’t expecting to find any in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It turned out serendipitous as Superior closes on Tuesdays anyway.
The food was excellent and the imported beer was super cheap, $6 for a half liter!
We had one more day in Hot Springs, and Mrs. 123 wanted to go for a hike as well. We went on a gentle 4-mile hike, with just enough uphill to make it challenging. Afterward, we went back to Bathhouse Row and signed up for a couples bath at the Quapaw Bathhouse.
The bath attendant led us to our private room with a bathtub built for two. There was already hot water in the tub, and we were instructed to push the button for the whirlpool jets once we were ready. That started a 20-minute timer. You can bathe in your bathing suit or your birthday suit. We opted for the former.
The water was super hot when we got in, but we could add hot or cold water as we desired, so we brought the temperature down a touch. It felt very much like a dip in a hot tub, only without the chlorine smell. The water is drained after each person.
By the end of the 20 minutes, we were both sweating. It was a nice relaxing soak, and a nice respite from our go-go schedule. We had been on the road for two months, and although we’re retired and have all the time in the world, we feel a certain pressure to maximize our time at each stop. At least for 20 minutes, we could just relax.
Once the timer expires, I pulled the plug in the bath to drain the water. We dried off with the supplied towels and changed in our street clothes. Our attendant was waiting for us outside with cold, mint-scented face towels and cucumber water. We cooled down for five minutes and proceeded on our way. The bath cost $50 for the two of us. I don’t know that I would do it again at that price, but it was a nice experience to cap off our visit to the park.
Days: 59
Miles Traveled: 8221
Next stop: Crater of Diamonds State Park
