Guided Tours

At the birth of the National Park Service, park promoters called Hot Springs "Dr. Nature's Water Cure." Nature's water cure might have made sense to visitors in 1916, but it may seem unusual to visitors today.

Ranger tours help visitors to make sense of a park that was created to protect healing waters and the generations of Americans who have fit nature's water cure into their daily lives.

 

Hot Springs rangers lead public programs throughout the year, including along the trails of Hot Springs Mountain.

NPS Photo/N. Allen

Ranger-led Programs

Spring Programs: March - May

• Outdoor Walks - Daily 10:30 AM. Join a ranger for a 45-minute program in the historic Bathhouse Row and Grand Promenade area. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours begin at the Fordyce Bathhouse and may be modified for weather. Tours may be cancelled due to staffing limits.
• Fordyce Tours - Daily 2:00 PM. Join a ranger for a 20-30-minute program inside of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours may be cancelled due to staffing limits.
• Pop-up Programs - Meet with a ranger for a quick hands-on activity. Activities and themes vary from ranger to ranger. See Fordyce front desk for pop-up locations.

Please note: All programs are subject to staff availability and weather. Summers in Hot Springs are hot and humid. Outdoor programs will be cancelled if the heat index is 100 or greater at the start of the program.

Check out our calendar for an up-to-date program schedule.

Summer Programs: May- November

• Outdoor Walks - Daily 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM. Join a ranger for a 45-minute program in the historic Bathhouse Row and Grand Promenade area. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours begin at the Fordyce Bathhouse and may be modified for weather.
• Fordyce Tours - Daily 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM. Join a ranger for a 20-30-minute program inside of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours may be cancelled due to staffing limits.
• Junior Ranger Programs - Saturdays 2:00 PM. Join a ranger for a 30-minute hands-on activity! Activities and themes vary from ranger to ranger. Programs begin in the Fordyce Bathhouse.
• Pop-up Programs - Meet with a ranger for a quick hands-on activity. Activities and themes vary from ranger to ranger. See Fordyce front desk for pop-up locations.
• Education Programs - Explore our Hot Springs Education website for more information.

Please note: All programs are subject to staff availability and weather. Summers in Hot Springs are hot and humid. Outdoor programs will be cancelled if the heat index is 100 or greater at the start of the program.

Winter Tours: November-March

• Fordyce Tours - Daily 10:30 AM + Saturday 1:00 PM. Join a ranger for a 20-30-minute program inside of the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center. Please check at the visitor center for times. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours may be cancelled due to staffing limits.
• Outdoor Walks - Daily 2:00 PM. Join a ranger for a 45-minute program in the historic Bathhouse Row and Grand Promenade area. Please check at the visitor center for times.. Themes and topics vary from ranger to ranger. Reservations are not required. Tours begin at the Fordyce Bathhouse and may be modified for weather. Tours may be cancelled due to staffing limits.
• Pop-up Programs - Meet with a ranger for a quick hands-on activity. Activities and themes vary from ranger to ranger. See Fordyce front desk for pop-up locations and times.
• Education Programs - Explore our Hot Springs Education website for more information.

 

The Fordyce Bathhouse is Hot Springs National Park's Visitor Center and Historic Museum.

NPS Photo/M. Smith

Self-guided Tours

Fordyce Bathhouse

In 1915, reviews proclaimed the Fordyce Bathhouse as "the best in Hot Springs." Now you can tour the Fordyce at your own pace and see the splendor of the most luxurious bathhouse on the row. Reservations for individual visitors are not needed.

NPS App

Take a self-guided tour of Hot Springs National Park using the official NPS App (available for Apple and Google Play)! There are two, free tours available with more planned in the coming year:

• Explore Hot Springs National Park - This tour provides an overview and brief history of the national park. There are eleven (11) stops that explore Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs Mountain, West Mountain, and Gulpha Gorge.
• Hidden Hot Springs - Dozens of springs cover the lower slopes of Hot Springs Mountain. However, most are hidden after two centures of development and efforts to keep the water clean for consumption. This 1-mile loop along Bathhouse Row to Happy Hollow Spring and back along the Grand Promenade reveals and stories and images of some of the hottest, most famed springs from the 19th century. Along the way, you'll learn about the hydrology and the cultural significance of the springs that help explain the park you see today.

 

Hot Springs National Park Cell Phone Tour Location map

NPS Photo

Cell Phone Tour

No ranger? No problem! With the self-guided cell phone tour throughout the park, your phone can become your private tour guide.

Locations 1-7 are on Bathhouse Row, 8 on the North Mountain Loop, 9 at Gulpha Gorge Campground, and 10-11 on West Mountain.

 

Things To Do

Explore, Learn, and Relax! Learn all about the things to do in our Park.

Soak in the Springs

Fully submerge yourself in the thermal water and let your worries melt away.

Hiking

With 26 miles of hiking trails in the Park, you can find great views, beautiful forest scenery, and feel like you're not in the City.

History & Culture

Learn more about Hot Spring National Park's unique cultural and natural history.