All about Hot Springs National Park

Jennifer Melroy
Last Modified April 28, 2021
First Published on July 7, 2019

Hot Springs National Park is one of the oldest pieces of protected public land in the United States. Hot Springs was first protected in 1832. The city of Hot Spring expanded around the naturally occurring hot water springs in the area. For over 8,000 years, people have been visiting these springs. Since the 1800s, the water has been used for therapeutic baths and the area was known as “The American Spa.”

Hot Springs National Park Profile

Region	Midwest Region
Park Size	5,550 acres (8.67 sq miles) (22.5 sq km) About the size Tuvalu
Elevation	Highest point: 1,405 feet (428 m) at the summit of Music Mountain Lowest point: 415 feet (126 m) at the Bull Bayou
Location	Garland County
Nearby Cities	Hot Springs
Founding Date	Hot Springs Reservation – April 20, 1832 Hot Spring National Park – March 4, 1921
Visitors	1.5 million (in 2018)
Busy Season	April to September
Visitor Centers	Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center – Open Year Around
Park Hours	Open 365 days (24 hours a day)
Entrance Fees	None
Annual Pass	None
Pets	Yes, leashed pets are welcome on the trails and in the campground. If bringing, please review the Hot Springs Pet Policy.

Hot Springs Climate
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Average high in °F:	50	55	64	73	81	88
Average low in °F:	31	35	42	50	60	67
Av. precipitation in inch:	3.7	4.5	5.2	5.2	6.1	4.4
	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high in °F:	93	93	86	74	62	52
Average low in °F:	71	70	63	51	42	33
Av. precipitation in inch:	4.6	3	4.1	5.8	5.6	5.3

Check out nearby National Park Service Sites (less than a 4-hour drive):

Arkansas Post National Memorial
Buffalo National River
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Pea Ridge National Military Park
Poverty Point National Monument
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Check out nearby National Park Service Sites (less than an 8-hour drive):

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
Big Thicket National Preserve
Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Gateway Arch National Park
George Washington Carver National Monument
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Natchez National Historical Park
Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
Natchez Trace Parkway
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
Obed Wild and Scenic River
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Shiloh National Military Park
Stones River National Battlefield
Tupelo National Battlefield
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
Vicksburg National Military Park
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

Jennifer Melroy

Jennifer is a long time national park blogger and the founder of National Park Obsessed. She is a dedicated National Park lover who is working on visiting all 63 US National Parks. She has currently been to 58 of the National Parks. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of the Parks with others and helping them learn to love the parks as much as she does.