Hot Springs National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Hot Springs National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, from the park's alerts, news releases, conditions, and hours pages. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new, so bookmark it rather than an old news story. The park says its hours can change for severe weather, so check its alerts the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • A burn ban is in effect. Because of high fire danger, the park banned fires on August 15, 2026. Only gas and charcoal grills are allowed in the campground and picnic areas. (NPS)
  • Changes coming at Buckstaff Bathhouse. On September 22 the park announced a new 10-year concession contract for the Buckstaff, the bathhouse that offers traditional baths. The park says it will bring longer hours and advance reservations; no start date is given. Check the Buckstaff's own hours before you plan a bath. (NPS)
  • Maurice Bathhouse is closed for renovations. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park: Arlington Lawn, the Grand Promenade, and the Bathhouse Row sidewalks are open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The roads up Hot Springs Mountain, North Mountain, and West Mountain are open to cars 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The park doesn't list an entrance fee. (NPS)
  • Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum: open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (NPS)
  • Lamar Bathhouse: the park bookstore, open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • The other bathhouses are run by private and nonprofit businesses that set their own hours: the Buckstaff and the Quapaw for bathing, the Ozark (Mystic Ozark science museum), the Hale (hotel and restaurant), and the Superior (restaurant and brewery).
  • Hot Springs Mountain Tower: run by a concessioner, with hours that change by season.
  • Gulpha Gorge Campground: open year-round. All sites can be reserved up to six months ahead on Recreation.gov. The picnic area and amphitheater are open sunrise to sunset; registered campers have 24-hour access. (NPS)

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26: the Fordyce visitor center closes.
  • Thursday and Friday, December 24 and 25: the Fordyce closes for Christmas, and again on New Year's Day, Friday, January 1, 2027.

What this means for your trip

Not much on this list changes a visit to Hot Springs. The burn ban matters mainly to campers at Gulpha Gorge: bring a gas stove or a charcoal grill and skip the campfire plan. The Fordyce, the promenade, and the mountain roads aren't affected.

If a traditional bath is the point of your trip, the Buckstaff contract is worth watching. Until the new hours and reservations start, check the bathhouse's own site for the day you're going rather than assuming. The Quapaw is the other option the park lists for bathing.

The park says temperatures here run from around 90°F to below freezing over the year. Late fall misses the hot, humid summer the park warns about, which makes it a good time for the mountain trails above Bathhouse Row, but if you plan to drive up to the tower or overlooks, remember the mountain roads don't open until 8 a.m.

Before you go

  • Check the park's alerts and conditions the morning of your visit. The page points to the National Weather Service forecast for Hot Springs and Arkansas Department of Transportation road conditions.
  • Reserve a campsite at Recreation.gov.

If something changes your plan, my guide to Hot Springs National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.