Trail loops top of Hot Springs Mountain

Map of Hot Springs National Park. Click on map for larger version.
Map courtesy of WikiTravel.

Though hardly a backcountry wilderness experience, Hot Springs National Park does offer a number of forested trails to enjoy.

Among the best of them is the 1.7-mile Hot Springs Mountain Trail. It heads through a beautiful mixed hardwood and pine forest that sits 1,200-plus feet above sea level, offering views of the pretty Arkansas countryside, the city of Hot Springs, and the ancient Ouachita Mountains.

Valley of the Vapors
Hot Springs National Park is in downtown Hot Springs; the visitor center is located on Ark. Hwy. 7 or Central Avenue. To reach the Hot Springs Mountain Trail, take Hot Springs Mountain Drive to the summit. A parking lot is next to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The trail begins at the Pagoda shelter just below the tower.

For more than 8,000 years, Native Americans from a variety of tribes would gather at the springs to enjoy the hot waters, setting aside their differences during the visit. They called the area the “valley of the vapors.” Today, the national park is known as "The American Spa.”

Heading away from the picnic area, take the southeastern side of the trail, which parallels Hot Springs Mountain Drive. The trail descends through a beautiful mixed hardwood and pine forest. Autumn marks the best time to hike the trail, not just because of the cooler temperatures but also for the fall leaf display.

About halfway down, a trail shelter marks the Gulpha Gorge Trail intersection. Continue straight/northwest and descend the northwestern side of the slope. At the next junction, turn left/south; continuing straight would put you on the Dogwood Trail.

Ancient fault line
While parts of the trail can be steep, it offers impressive vistas. The mountains surrounding Hot Springs are part of the Ouachitas, which some 300 million years ago were as tall as the Rockies.

Thanks to an ancient fault line in the range, hot water bubbles up through the springs on the base of Hot Springs Mountain’s western slope. The hot water reaches 143 degrees F, and up to 700,000 gallons of it is collected annually.

A serpentine path continues to Hot Springs Mountain Drive. Cross it, and hike up the northwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain. At the junction with Honeysuckle Trail, stay left/southwest to complete the loop. After crossing Hot Springs Mountain Drive two more times, the trail arrives back at the picnic area.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Best trails to see Hot Springs’ wonders

Waterfall on Tufa Terrace Trail.
Photo courtesy of Hot Springs NPS.

Among the best ways to see Hot Springs National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just three short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – thermal springs, Gilded Age buildings, and fantastic vistas.

Thermal springs
For more than a century, people have collected the hot spring water flowing from the 43 thermal springs now in the park. As the mineral waters lack the sulphur odor common to most hot springs, people flocked here to treat rheumatism and other ailments. The 0.2-mile Tufa Terrace Trail allows you to see some of the geology involved in the springs; you’ll see deposits of white, gleaming tufa, which is calcium carbonate brought to the surface and left behind by the spring water.

19th-century architecture
Several buildings from the Gilded Age sit on Bathhouse Row, once home to spa-like facilities for visitors seeking the hot springs’ alleged healing properties. Two urban routes, when combined, offer a 1-mile loop around the row; take the sidewalk along Central Avenue from Court Street to Fountain Street and then link up with the Grand Promenade Trail, which heads along the row’s backside.

Great vistas
Though hardly a backcountry wilderness experience, the national park does offer a number of forested trails to enjoy. The 1.7-mile Hot Springs Mountain Trail heads through a beautiful mixed hardwood and pine forest and climbs to 1,200-plus feet above sea level, offering views of the quaint Arkansas countryside, the city of Hot Springs, and the ancient Ouachita Mountains.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.