The Complete Guide To Hot Springs National Park Hikes

When you think of Hot Springs National Park, you may not always think of hiking as one of the top things to do here. Being an urban park, Hot Springs has a totally different feel from Sequoia or Yosemite, but there are still hiking opportunities.

In Arkansas, you won’t find hikes in Hot Springs as grand as those in the Tetons, but hitting the trails is still worth it. Below, check out our complete guide to all the Hot Springs National Park hikes.

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When To Go

There’s no truly “wrong” season to visit Hot Springs National Park. Located in central Arkansas, the park is rarely affected by weather-related closures, making it accessible year-round. If you have flexibility, spring is an especially pleasant time to plan your trip.

From March through May, temperatures are generally comfortable, hovering between the 40s and 60s. This is when trees begin to leaf out, and flowers start blooming, all while humidity stays relatively low. Now this is a big plus! Fall offers similarly mild conditions and is another favorite time for visitors.

Summer brings much warmer weather, with highs typically in the 80s and 90s. Increased humidity can make the heat feel intense, and this season also sees a higher likelihood of strong thunderstorms and occasional tornadoes.

Winter is colder, with temperatures sometimes dropping into the teens. While the landscape is bare, the cooler air makes it an ideal season to enjoy the park’s signature thermal baths, providing a cozy contrast to the chilly weather. It can snow, so keep that in mind.

Things to Know

• Hot Springs National Park is FREE to visit!
• The visitor center is located in the historic Fordyce Bathhouse, right on Bathhouse Row.
• You CAN’T bathe in any of the outdoor hot springs.
  • 2 bathhouses provide bathing experiences. Visit the Buckstaff Baths or Quapaw Bathhouse to enjoy the thermal waters.
• You CAN drink water from the hot springs. There are a few cold water fountains that you can fill up at.
• Parking is located on the street or at the nearby parking garages. Unless you are up early, the garages are your best bet. We have these marked on our map, too.
• Restrooms are located on Bathhouse Row. You’ll find restrooms located on both sides of Quapaw Bathhouse and in the basement of Fordyce Bathhouse (visitor center).
• Pick up a trail map at the Fordyce Bathhouse to help navigate these trails.

 🚗 Book your rental car now before it’s too late! Check prices and options for rental cars at Booking.com.

Hot Springs National Park Hikes

Within the park, trails are located in the Hot Springs & North Mountains as well as the West Mountains. The Hot Springs & North Mountains are located behind Bathhouse Row. Many of the trails start here and lead up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower.

The West Mountain trails start at the northern end of Central Avenue and Canyon Court. The trails here are a bit less traveled, but lead to the middle of West Mountain, providing a nice view of Hot Springs.

If you are looking for a really nice, long hike, you’ll want to use the 10-mile Sunset Trail, which makes its way through the most remote areas of Hot Springs National Park. Below, we’ll discuss these in more detail.

🛎️ Looking for a place to stay that pumps hot spring water directly to each room? Hotel Hale is just the place!

Hot Springs and North Mountain

This is a great spot to hike if you are short on time or if you are looking for some shorter trails to complete. Most of the trails here lead up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower.

While visiting Hot Springs, we checked these trails out in the early morning. Using multiple short trails, we made a nice 5-mile loop that explored much of the area. Our route even took us past one of the cold water fountains, a perfect place to fill up your water bottle with the famous water that Hot Springs is named for.

First, head up the grand staircase near Bathhouse Row. This is between Fordyce and Maurice Bathhouses. From there, take the Peak Trail 0.6 miles to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. There are restrooms here if you need them. If you want, you can go up the Hot Springs Mountain Tower for a small fee and a great view!

Next, hike the Hot Springs Mountain Trail on the south side of the tower to the Gulpha Gorge Trail for about 1 mile. Take the Gulpha Gorge Trail to the Goat Rock Trail for 0.2 miles. At this point, you can take a quick jaunt up the mountain for a great view.

Stay on the Goat Rock Trail and hike another mile to meet up with the Upper Dogwood Trail. Stay on this for 1.2 miles as it curves around. Take the Hot Springs loop again (and cross the road) for 0.5 miles and merge onto the Honeysuckle Trail.

Immediately on the right, take the Floral Trail down to the road. Walk along the road toward the Arlington Hotel, and on the right, as you walk, you’ll reach the cold water fountain. Fill up your jugs and keep walking.

When you reach The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, make a left to reach Bathhouse Row, right where you started.

Hot Springs Mountain Tower

Hot Springs Mountain Tower rises 216 feet above Hot Springs Mountain, giving you sweeping 360° views of the Ouachita Mountains, Diamond Lakes, and the city below from about 1,250 feet above sea level.

Ride up in an elevator to both indoor and open-air viewing decks, take in the scenery, and browse the gift shop at the base for souvenirs before or after your visit. Cost of admission ranges from $6.50 for youth to $13.00. Children 4 and under are free.

🌷 Learn more about how to spend 2 or 3 days in Hot Springs National Park by checking out our full itinerary here.

West Mountain

Another great place for hiking in Hot Springs National Park is West Mountain. From Bathhouse Row, walk north along Central Avenue. Access to the trails is at the northern end of Central Avenue and Canyon Court.

We used a few trails in the West Mountain and completed a 3-mile loop. To hike this route, first take the Oak Trail to the left at the trailhead for 1 mile. This trail is located above the shops and restaurants below.

Then, cross the road and get on the West Mountain Trail (South) to the left for 0.3 miles until you reach the Mountain Top Trail. Take a right and hike this trail for 0.7 miles to link up to the West Mountain Trail (North) again. Take this trail for 0.6 miles to the shelter and picnic area. Here, you can take a rest and enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains and the city below.

Finally, hop on the Canyon Trail and use this trail to return to the trailhead via the Oak Trail. If you miss the turn off to the Oak Trail, the Canyon Trail will dump you out on Central Avenue as well, just a little farther up compared to where you started.

Sunset Trail

Full transparency! We did not hike the Sunset Trail, other than a small portion of it to reach Balanced Rock. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to hike the entire 10-mile trail, but we would love to do it when we get back to Hot Springs.

If you are looking for a great day hike, this is the one. You can start this hike at two locations, but just note that you’ll have to use the looping trails we talked about above to loop all the way back to your car, which will likely add some mileage (3-5 miles) to the one-way 10-mile trail route.

The first parking option is located at the Gulpha Gorge Picnic Area. Be advised that this area closes at dark. The second option to start the Sunset Trail is at the West Mountain Summit.

As you hike on the sunset trail, there are many spur trails that lead outside of the park boundaries and onto private property. Use the orange blazes to make sure you are staying on the correct trail.

Pullman Trail

The Pullman Trail is a short, scenic connector trail winding about 0.8 miles one-way through shaded woods. It’s the only trail in the park that officially welcomes mountain bikes as well as hikers, making it a fun link between downtown Hot Springs and the bigger Northwoods Trail System.

Along the hike, you’ll stroll past an old homesite dotted with intriguing artifacts that look like trash but are actually protected pieces of history! Just leave everything as it is.

Where to Stay While Visiting Hot Springs National Park

You can stay right on Bathhouse Row and be close to the action in Hot Springs National Park. Or, you can also stay a bit further away to save some money. Hot Springs has many accommodations to choose from. Check out some of the best options below.

• Hotel Hale – a boutique hotel on historic Bathhouse Row offering nine individually styled suites with hot spring mineral soaking tubs right in your room, free Wi-Fi, and on-site dining at the Eden Restaurant.
• The Waters Hot Springs, Tapestry Collection by Hilton – located across from Bathhouse Row, this hotel includes on-site dining with a rooftop bar, free Wi-Fi, a fitness center, valet parking, and easy walking access to downtown shops, spas, and trails.
• The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa – located just north of Bathhouse Row and Hot Springs National Park, it features classic rooms and themed suites, thermal mineral baths, outdoor pools, a full spa, on-site dining and bars, free Wi-Fi, and EV charging stations.
• Lookout Point Lakeside Inn – stay farther away from the action in a romantic boutique inn perched on Lake Hamilton, offering scenic lake views, peaceful gardens, and more.
• Hampton Inn Hot Springs – a short drive from Hot Springs National Park and downtown attractions, this location offers comfortable rooms with free breakfast, Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, fitness center, EV charging, and free parking.

Final Thoughts

Many of the Hot Springs National Park hikes we completed were pretty easy in comparison to the larger national parks, and we enjoyed the trails, even though many of them are in a fairly urban area.

That being said, once you get out on the trails, it really doesn’t feel like you are in the middle of a city. Some of our top highlights were the view from Goat Rock, stopping to fill up our water at the Happy Hollow Spring (you can definitely taste a difference!), and the hike to Balanced Rock via the Sunset Trail.

If we had to do it all over again, I think we would try to plan a bit more time in the area to complete the entire 10-mile loop on the Sunset Trail. If you are looking for our full guide with more things to do at Hot Springs National Park, check it out here!

🛏️ Don’t forget to check out all the places to stay near Hot Springs National Park on Tripadvisor.