Strolling along the footpath on the east side of Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, it’s easy to forget you’re in a National Park. Cross the street, and you’ve officially stepped out of Hot Springs National Park and into the city of Hot Springs that’s surrounded by the park’s more than 5,500-acres, established by Congress in 1921.
By that same decade, a series of public baths had materialized on the Avenue where tourists flocked for the supposedly therapeutic waters provided by the region’s abundant mineral-laden thermal springs. Eight historic bathhouses still stand displaying all their original architectural splendor, but only two – the Quapaw and the Buckstaff – continue to offer bathing experiences for visitors. The others have been repurposed and now serve as a brewery, a hotel, or as facilities for National Park resources such as the Visitor or Cultural Centers.
Bathhouse Row and the half-mile walkway behind it, known as the Grand Promenade, were designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1987. If you’re setting out on foot to explore some of the 26 miles of paths within the park trail system, a walk along these historic routes provides a gentle introduction to this most unusual of U.S. National Parks.
We began by walking north along Central Avenue, passing the bathhouses, each showcasing its own unique design that reflect popular architectural styles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the U.S., including Spanish Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Renaissance Revival.
The Grand Promenade can be accessed from either the north or south entrance. Near the northern entrance where Central Avenue meets Fountain Street, a spring feeds two connected decorative ponds – a popular photo spot for tourists. Armed with my trusty thermometer (which any respectable traveling scientist carries), I measured the water temperature to be 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52 degrees Celsius) – just a bit too toasty for more than a brief finger dip.
Behind the pond, steps lead to the elegantly paved Grand Promenade brick walkway that took more than 20 years to complete. Surrounded by vegetation and the occasional steaming hot spring spilling over rocks, the hustle and bustle of the Downtown area peeps through the lush trees but is barely noticeable along the path as it leads to the south entrance and the site of the historic Noble Fountain on Reserve Street.
The elegantly designed drinking fountain was named after John W. Noble, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1889 to 1893, who secured funds for improvements to Hot Springs Reservation (as it was called before becoming a National Park). The fountain has been moved several times over the years and once sat outside the park’s nearby yellow Admin building that sports the familiar brown National Park logo on its street corner sign.
While there are many other short trails to attempt in the park’s mountainous areas, be sure to drive up to Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The 216-foot-tall structure is 1,256 feet above sea level and provides an excellent 360-degree view, including downtown Hot Springs and the surrounding Ouachita Mountain range.
With the aid of a telephoto lens from the tower’s summit, I was delighted to spot an old sign adorning a distant weathered building that read “Uneeda Biscuit.” Although the brand has long been discontinued, I was immediately flooded with childhood memories of the company’s ‘biscuits’ – large, Saltine-like soda crackers – that my mother slathered with peanut butter and became welcome additions to my school lunches.
Hot Springs National Park makes a great weekend trip and is full of surprises. You just have to look.
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines. His hiking column describes short trails, hikes, and walks from around the country that seniors might enjoy while traveling. See www.ItsAWonderfulHike.com. Story and photos by Nick and Debby Thomas
