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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Arkansas >> Hot Springs National Park – Arkansas tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Hot Springs National Park – Arkansas

Images of Hot Springs National Park – Arkansas, taken in July 2016.

In 1832 the United States Government, recognizing the importance of the spring water flowing from a mountain in Arkansas, declared several large parcels of land in the area a U.S. Reservation. It was the first time such a step was taken to protect a natural resource in the United States. Throughout history the hot springs in this area have been a source of comfort, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes. In 1921 Hot Springs National Park was created to protect Bathhouse Row as well as the springs themselves.

To call this park unique compared to the other 58 national parks would be an understatement. Today only Mesa Verde protects more man-made creations and archeological sites. Hot Springs is as much about the businesses developed around the springs as it is about the springs themselves. Early on the bathhouses touted the benefits of the water to include healing diseases of the skin and blood, nervous afflictions and “various diseases of women”.

Today there is a more modern spa emphasis by the two existing bathhouses and I decided that when in Hot Springs, do as the Hot Springers (sic) do! So I walked into the Buckstaff Bathhouse, the only bathhouse that has been in operation continuously since 1912, and signed up for your basic Mineral Bath. The facility is much the same as it has been for over a hundred years and the tubs and fixtures were exactly the same as I had photographed in the visitor center museum earlier in the week. First was the tub bath; now the spring water comes out of the ground at 143 degrees so it gets “cooled” to about 100 degrees by your attendant before you can dive in. After 20 minutes of sitting in the calming waters there is a sitz bath for the back, a trip to the vapor cabinet which is basically a sweat box; you get hot packs applied to the areas that ail you…in my case my knees, and then take a cooling needle shower before it’s all over. And of course you also drink the cooled mineral water which is the star of the whole process. Now I feel like I’ve buried the lead a little because the water is the story and the story is quite amazing as the water coming to the surface today, after seeping through rocks and then percolating back to the surface, is actually over 4,000 years old! And it’s clear, clean, and delicious and it’s free; makes that 18 year old bottle of scotch seem a bit overpriced…
Restored Fordyce Bathhouse and park visitor center in Hot Springs National Park
Restored Fordyce Bathhouse and park visitor center in Hot Springs National Park 		Buckstaff Bathhouse has been operating continuously since 1912 in Hot Springs National Park
Buckstaff Bathhouse has been operating continuously since 1912 in Hot Springs National Park		 Quapaw Bathhouse, one of two baths currently in operation in Hot Springs National Park
Quapaw Bathhouse, one of two baths currently in operation in Hot Springs National Park		 Ozark Bathhouse, currently the National Park Cultural and Art Center in Hot Springs National Park
Ozark Bathhouse, currently the National Park Cultural and Art Center in Hot Springs National Park		 The Lamar Bathhouse, currently the National Park store, in Hot Springs National Park
The Lamar Bathhouse, currently the National Park store, in Hot Springs National Park
The Hale Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park
The Hale Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park		 The Maurice Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park
The Maurice Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park		 The Superior Bathhouse, currently a restaurant and brew pub, in Hot Springs National Park
The Superior Bathhouse, currently a restaurant and brew pub, in Hot Springs National Park		 Vapor Cabinets in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Vapor Cabinets in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Chiropody Room (foot treatment area) in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Chiropody Room (foot treatment area) in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
The Hubbard Tub Room for non-ambulatory patients in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
The Hubbard Tub Room for non-ambulatory patients in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Men’s bathing room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Men’s bathing room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Stained glass ceiling in the men’s bathing room, Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Stained glass ceiling in the men’s bathing room, Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Bathing tub in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Bathing tub in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Hot Springs plumbing in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs plumbing in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Gymnasium in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Gymnasium in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Sitting hall in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Sitting hall in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Piano in the sitting area of the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Piano in the sitting area of the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Recreational area of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Recreational area of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Men’s locker room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Men’s locker room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Ladies’ dressing room in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Ladies’ dressing room in the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 Ladies’ cooling room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park
Ladies’ cooling room in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center in Hot Springs National Park		 US Hot Springs Reservation commemorative tower in Hot Springs National Park
US Hot Springs Reservation commemorative tower in Hot Springs National Park		 Looking down Central Avenue toward the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs National Park
Looking down Central Avenue toward the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs National Park		 The walkway along Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park
The walkway along Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park
Bathhouse Row (Hale and Superior Bathhouses) in Hot Springs National Park
Bathhouse Row (Hale and Superior Bathhouses) in Hot Springs National Park		 The dome of Quapaw Bathhouse (active bathhouse) in Hot Springs National Park
The dome of Quapaw Bathhouse (active bathhouse) in Hot Springs National Park		 The Quapaw Bathhouse on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park
The Quapaw Bathhouse on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park		 Detail of the facade of the Quapaw Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park
Detail of the facade of the Quapaw Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park		 The Buckstaff Bathhouse, oldest continuously operated facility in Hot Springs National Park
The Buckstaff Bathhouse, oldest continuously operated facility in Hot Springs National Park
The Grand Promenade overlooking Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park
The Grand Promenade overlooking Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park		 Protected Spring Collection Boxes on the lower slope of Hot Springs Mountain in Hot Springs National Park
Protected Spring Collection Boxes on the lower slope of Hot Springs Mountain in Hot Springs National Park		 A baby cardinal on a tree along Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park
A baby cardinal on a tree along Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park		 Hot Spring Cascade in the park below the Grand Promenade in Hot Springs National Park
Hot Spring Cascade in the park below the Grand Promenade in Hot Springs National Park		 Hot Springs Mountain Tower in Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs Mountain Tower in Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs Mountain Drive in Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs Mountain Drive in Hot Springs National Park		 Flower in Hot Springs National Park
Flower in Hot Springs National Park		 Park view from the West Mountain Summit Drive in Hot Springs National Park
Park view from the West Mountain Summit Drive in Hot Springs National Park		 Moth along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park
Moth along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park		 The Maurice and Fordyce Bathhouses from the West Mountain Summit Drive in Hot Springs National Park
The Maurice and Fordyce Bathhouses from the West Mountain Summit Drive in Hot Springs National Park
Fungi on a tree along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park
Fungi on a tree along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park		 Tree fungi along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park
Tree fungi along the Hot Springs Mountain Trail in Hot Springs National Park		 Bathhouse Row with the Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center in the background in Hot Springs National Park
Bathhouse Row with the Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center in the background in Hot Springs National Park		 The Arlington Hotel across from Hot Springs National Park
The Arlington Hotel across from Hot Springs National Park		 Subaru parked in front of the Plaza Hotel along Bathhouse Row across from Hot Springs National Park
Subaru parked in front of the Plaza Hotel along Bathhouse Row across from Hot Springs National Park

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Dave 09-Aug-2016 02:36
Excuse me!! You were just in Colorado and now you are in Arkansas.
Did Oklahoma bore you? Did Texas disappear? Well at least the Cowboys.
Inquiring minds want to know!

Nice photos.
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