UPDATE:The Lamar Bathhouse Emporium gift shop is now open. The retail store that carries Hot Springs National Park souvenirs, clothing, and collectibles was closed last week during the partial government shutdown. The Lamar is located on historic Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. This means all of the bathhouse buildings in the National Park are open with the exception of the Fordyce Visitor Center.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — While a portion of Hot Springs National Park is closed due to the federal shutdown, most of the city’s attractions remain open and ready for visitors, according to Visit Hot Springs.
Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said Wednesday that “large portions of the park will be hosting visitors as usual,” though some key sites will be inaccessible. Among those closed: the Fordyce Visitor Center and Museum on Bathhouse Row. Restrooms in the national park and the Summit Drive section of West Mountain Drive are also closed.
Other sections of the park remain accessible. The stretch of West Mountain Drive that connects Whittington and Prospect avenues will stay open. The Grand Promenade, the free thermal-water jug fountains in Hill Wheatley Plaza and Reserve Street, and most trails remain in operation.
Arrison said the Hot Springs Mountain Tower and all hiking trails will operate as scheduled. Gulpha Gorge Campground will continue to take reservations and host campers.
Among the privately operated attractions, several on Bathhouse Row will remain open:
- Buckstaff Bathhouse, offering traditional baths and massages
- Quapaw Baths & Spa, offering modern thermal bathing
- Hotel Hale, operating within the Hale Bathhouse
- Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which brews craft beers using the area’s thermal water
- Mystic Ozark museum, in the historic Ozark Bathhouse, focusing on the history and science of the thermal waters
Downtown businesses, art galleries, and shops are unaffected, as are the more than 200 restaurants across the city. Nearby state parks, such as Lake Catherine State Park and Lake Ouachita State Park, remain open. The Northwoods hiking and mountain bike trails, Garvan Woodland Gardens, and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort are all welcoming visitors.
Arrison urged visitors and locals alike to help support the park’s staff, many of whom will continue working without pay during the shutdown. He also asked the public to spread the message that most of Hot Springs remains open for business.
For a full list of attractions, visitors can contact Visit Hot Springs at 800-SPA-CITY.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
