The reserve was officially designated Hot Springs National Park in 1921. The springs were walled up and covered for protection. They even featured amenities like billiards rooms and other entertainment. Roads were improved, and brick and stucco bathhouses were constructed. Now a federally owned reserve, the springs were transformed into a protected “spa city.” Tourists came from all over to experience the transformative benefits of the springs. Patients and physicians rushed to the area, and bathhouses and cottages were built quickly to accommodate them.įor fear the springs were getting polluted, the government set aside the area as a federal reserve in 1877, which forbade private control over any of the hot springs area. It was believed that the springs could cure diseases of the skin and blood, rheumatism, nervous afflictions, and other sicknesses. Americans quickly understood that the area was a special place. Spanish and French settlers knew about the area, but it wasn’t explored by the United States until after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Native Americans called it the “valley of the vapors.” For more than 8,000 years, native peoples of many tribes would gather at the springs, setting aside their differences to relax and partake in the healing properties of the thermal waters. The trail traverses West Mountain, allows for breathtaking views of Sugar Mountain, and brings visitors through what was once the Fordyce family estate. The longest trail in the park, Sunset Trail, leads visitors through 10 miles of varied terrain. Hot Springs Mountain Trail begins at the Pagoda shelter below the Hot Springs Moutain Tower and takes visitors through hardwood and pine forests up the western side of the mountain. If visitors have more time or are looking for more vigorous activity, the park offers 26 miles of hiking trails to explore. For a modern spa experience, try the Quapaw Baths and Spa. Hot Springs National Park located in the city of Hot Springs in southwest Arkansas is not only the second smallest of all the National Parks it is one of. At the Buckstaff Baths, visitors can take a traditional bath the way it was more than half a century ago. After it closed, it remained vacant until 1989 when it was reopened as the park’s visitor center and museum. The bathhouse was in operation from 1915 to 1962. Visitors can visit the restored Fordyce Bathhouse, which in its heyday included elaborate baths, a music room, and even a bowling alley.
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