Hot Springs Magic Elixir

by Deborah Burst

The cure for life’s bumpy highway

Yea it’s been a rough year, okay, a couple of rough years. Bank bailouts, corporate greed, and the roller coaster stock market, need I say more? So stop sliding down that slippery slope. Pack your bags and head for the hills of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The steamy mineral waters of Hot Springs have been a magic elixir for centuries as early bathers sought natural hollows and hand dug pools. Touted as a natural tranquilizer, the therapeutic waters relive tension and for some relief from arthritis, bursitis and rheumatism.

Established in 1832, the Park protects 47 hot springs which serves all the bathhouses. Their visitor center, formerly the Fordyce Bathhouse, was built in the early 1900s and offers a peek into the heyday of bathhouses. A film on the natural history of the “valley of vapors” details the process. Rainwater seeps deep inside the Ouachita Mountains and is heated by the earth’s thermal process. The water rises so quickly it doesn’t have time to cool reaching the surface with an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Located in the heart of the downtown historic district, bathhouse row offers communal and private bathing in a captivating collection of early 20th century architecture. The Museum of Contemporary Art, formerly the Ozark Bathhouse, presents eclectic exhibits of sculptures, photography and fine art. Inside the former Hale Bathhouse, the Muses’ Three Arts Café & Bookstore recently opened as a creative and performing arts venue serving sandwiches, salads and pastries.

The newest spa, the Quapaw Bath & Spa, has restored a 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival bathhouse with a striking dome crowned with brilliant mosaic tiles and copper cupola. Guests are greeted with a wall of windows showcasing the four thermal pools, each bearing a different temperature. Arched sun roofs filter natural light on the pools below to further the overall experience. Recharge the body soaking inside waters rich in silica, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and sulfate. After the blissful soak, treat yourself to a massage, facial or body polish.

In addition to the calming waters, November is peak time for fall colors in the Lake Ouachita National Forest with its rambling mountains, canopied trails and chains of lakeside islands. The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail hosts a new ADA trail with paved and elevated walkway spanning wetlands and thick forests with wood birds and waterfowl including ducks, coots, loons and bald eagles.

The Tompkins Bend Trailhead winds across spring fed streams, rock formations and a quick loop to Eagle Vista with picnic tables overlooking the lake. Along the trail twelve-story pines seem immortal casting pools of yellow light on the forest floor. Hardwoods twist and turn dropping sun-streaked leaves on a trail buried in a patchwork of color. The trees are so alive, spilling their beauty in the brisk breeze and giving peace to a troubled world.

To fully appreciate the National Forest and the essence of Arkansas wilderness, the Hickory Nut Mountain Trailhead says it all. A luminous haze blankets the mountain range while a lone fishing boat courses the sapphire lake dotted with islands rimmed in clay colored shores.

Gardening offers another venue for deep mediation and Verna Garvan understood the healing powers of gardens. She spent decades planting thousands of native and exotic trees, shrubs and plants opening the Garvan Woodland Gardens to the public under a trust with the University of Arkansas. Flush with flowers, waterfalls and stone fences, the garden features a Japanese garden, rock garden and bird sanctuary. Families will enjoy the children’s adventure garden with stone climbing slopes and a maze of quarried boulders along with the holiday light show illuminating the garden with more than a million lights.

Another unique feature of the garden is its architecture. Surrounded by mammoth trees, the Anthony Chapel is a 57-foot structure built with floor to ceiling glass walls, flagstone floors and a geometric truss of pine columns. It’s a quiet respite that draws nature indoors and offers the perfect venue to give thanks during the holidays.

Hot Springs is a gateway to natural healing both in its therapeutic waters and cloud-capped mountains. Relax in the many spas, trail the forests or just kick back on the rocking chairs at the visitor center. And don’t forget to take home your own magic potion at the national park’s public jug fountains with hot and cold spring waters. It does wonders for life’s bumpy roads.

When you go…

Hot Springs Tourism, www.hotsprings.org, 800-543-2284, 501-321-2277  

Enjoy dinner at the Bleu Monkey Grill (www.bleumonkeygrill.com) or downtown at Rolando’s Neuvo Latino Restaurante specializing in Latin America cuisine. www.rolandosrestaurante.com

The Comfort Inn offers high-dollar service at a comfortable price and a favorite of celebrities such as the Charlie Daniels Band. www.choicehotels.com, 877-682-4442, 501-623-1700

Downtown the historic Arlington Hotel is a nostalgic stay with private spa and baths. www.arlingtonhotel.com, 800-643-1502, 501-623-7771

Wake up to lake vistas, romantic gardens and gourmet breakfasts at the Lookout Point Inn on Lake Hamilton. www.lookoutpointinn.com, 866-525-6155, 501-525-6155

Soak in Lake Ouachita’s tranquil waters and pristine shorelines at the Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa. www.mountainharborresort.com, 800-832-2276, 870-867-2191

Garvan Woodland Gardens, www.garvangardens.org, 800-366-4664, 501-262-9619.

Hot Springs National Park & Mountain Tower, www.nps.gov/hosp, 501-624-2701

Quapaw Baths & Spa, www.quapawbaths.com, 501-609-9822