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ARKANSAS
Hot Springs National Park Mountainous and marked by ancient thermal springs, Hot Springs National Park has something for everyone, from a rich cultural past to historic bathhouses, jaw-dropping geology and pine, oak and hickory forests cut by creeks. Spanning a nearly 5,400-acre preserved area surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, adjacent to the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas, its waters ultimately are managed to conserve the production of uncontaminated hot water for public use. Having become a United States territory in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase and designated as Hot Springs Reservation in 1832, its verdant valleys, rocky mountains, densely forested slopes and novaculite outcrops also offer a welcome habitat for a wide array of species.
Outside of the Bathhouse Row National Historic Landmark District, expect to mostly encounter forested hills and valleys, with a smattering of vibrant wildflowers when spring arrives. Lush grasses serve as food for resident wildlife, while mosses and liverworts help stabilize and regulate the soil. Be sure to pause and appreciate the seasonal southern magnolias along the promenade at Bathhouse Row. Also, keep watch for lush foliage — including ferns, spleenworts and diatoms — near thermal springs.
T H E W E AT H E R Featuring fairly mild weather all year long, temperatures in Hot Springs can range from about 90 F to less than 27 F. Summers tend to be hot and
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THE FLORA A ND FAUNA
and more than 70 kinds of reptiles and
humid, between 80 F and 90 F, with
An integral sanctuary for over 50
amphibians, many of them most active
the potential for sudden changes in
species of mammals — including
at night. Given Hot Springs’ woodland
conditions.
groundhogs, white-tailed deer,
landscape, wildlife viewing is most
Meanwhile, March through May sees
squirrels and chipmunks — the park is
visible during winter, when deciduous
average lows of 43 F to 61 F and highs
also a haven for about 50 fish species
trees have dropped their leaves.
up to around 82 F. From September
UNITED VAN LINES NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE MADISON OREN
SOUTHEAST
