Take your RV downtown to a National Park

RV visitors may be surprised to discover Hot Springs National Park is part of the city. Visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas, the boyhood home of Bill Clinton, brings you back to the era of the 1920’s. During the late 1800’s bath houses began to crop up along “Bath House Row” taking advantage of the natural hot springs that occurred in the valley. A wealthy railroad man and banker named of Samuel Fordyce came to Hot Springs in 1873 for treatment of his ailments caused by Civil War wounds. Benefiting from the treatment he moved his family to the town and began developing the community by investing in hotels and infrastructure. He erected the world famous Fordyce Bath House which now serves as the National Park Visitor Center.At this entrance counter patrons could purchase tickets in 1919 for 21 baths for the tidy sum of$15. Fortunately, you can tour the entire facility for free.At this same desk you can now talk to a Park Ranger and pick up a free self guided tour brochure.

The bath house had separate areas for men and women. The guys, wrapped toga-style in bath sheets, would lounge around on marble seats drinking cups of the hot spring water until their turn in the bath. The fountain is called “The Fountain of Youth” depicting Hernando de Soto receiving a gift of water from a Caddo Indian maiden. The elegant stained glass on the ceiling is entitled "Neptune’s Daughter" and is composed of 8,000 pieces of stained glass.People would come here for three weeks or more to enjoy the bath houses, hotels, restaurants and race track. It was a kind of medical tourism because these waters in Hot Springs were thought to have healing qualities. When these bath treatments were popular modern drugs like steroids, penicillin, vaccines, and even sulfa drugs had not yet been developed. So, these bath and shower treatments were the best you could hope for beyond primitive medicine.The hydrotherapy room contained vapor cabinets, cooling cabinets, sitz baths, needle showers and even an electric bath. Shocking as it sounds, it was thought to bring relief to certain maladies.

The Fordyce Bath House was more than a bath, it also had a state of the art gymnasium where the likes of Jack Dempsey worked out. There was a bowling alley and a modern elevator that would move you between floors. The upstairs lounge was a great place to relax after your treatment. Once you leave the bath house you can take a leisurely stroll down Bath House Row and see the renovations they are making on the grand old Quapaw Bath House. Here you will soon be able to experience first hand the bathing experience of a bygone era.

The area is plush with restaurants and entertainment including a wax museum and be sure to visit the grand old Arlington Hotel.
Your visit is not complete without a tour of the Hot Springs Mountain Drive. Don’t plan on taking a large RV on this road because the hair-pin turns are very tight. Once at the top you can take an elevator to the top of the tower for a fee. The view is very nice with both an outdoor observation platform and an enclosed deck which houses a museum.
A National Park, even one in a city, would not be complete without a campground. Gulpha Gorge Campground is typical of National Park camping with no hook-ups, or shower facilities. They do have a dump station and water hydrants. If you want hook-ups there are several RV parks nearby including a couple near Magic Srpings Amusement Park. Cloud Nine RV Park is about six miles north of Hot Springs at the top of a hill.Hot Springs, Arkansas is a great place to spend time relaxing and exploring. Watch the video for a closer look at what awaits you when you visit. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing