So, we’ve spent the night in Ft.
Smith when we realize that we are only about 200 miles from Hot Springs, N.P. We know that this is on the way home and are thinking, BONUS PARK!
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| BONUS PARK! |
We
discussed the options and realized that any future visit to this park would we
much further out of our way, so this is one to knock off.
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| Temporary park headquarters |
We drove to Russellville, then
got on an Ozark mountain road that would take us to Hot Springs. We enjoyed the
ride as it was not as challenging as other mountain roads we’ve recently been
on.
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| Remodeling a bathhouse |
The only problem was that the two-lane road was also shared with a lot of
RVs and boat trailers that made the going slow.
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| The Ozark Bathhouse |
We arrived in Hot Springs and were
immediately delighted with the park and surrounding community. Hot Springs,
N.P. is the smallest national park in the park system.
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| Ouapaw Bathhouse |
The park features are the restored
bathhouses and the mineral springs which fuel everything.
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| That's some HOT water! |
After parking the car we walked to
the temporary visitor’s center, as the permanent one was undergoing some cosmetic
work. We collected our stamp and watched
a couple of historical videos that described the park in its heyday.
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| Fordyce Bathhouse |
What an architecturally
impressive display the bathhouses
present.
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Another bathhouse |
We left the visitor’s center and walked up “Bathhouse Row,” viewing
all of the magnificent bathhouses from yesteryear, before
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| The beautiful Arlington Hotel |
endingt up at the grand old Arlington Hotel. We went inside to see what
Hot Springs luxury is like. How
impressive the old hotel was with its painted walls and superb architecture.
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| Inside the Arlington |
Leaving the hotel, we made our way back to the car down “Bathhouse Row,” but this
time focusing on the fantastic architecture on the private establishments
opposite the bathhouses.
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| The Arlington bar |
Back at the car we had lunch in a
park next to the visitor’s center. Jane
collected some hot springs water that we cooled and drank later.
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| Part of the Arlington lobby |
We
headed out of the park and made our way to the interstate that would take us to
Texarkanna where we thought about spending the night.
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| Jane rejuvenates with spring water |
However, when we arrived
at Texarkanna around 1400, we realized that it was too early to check into a
motel, so we opted to drive an additional 6 hours to our river home in Killian, LA. While
we had some issues getting through Shreveport, LA, we breezed into Killian with
no problem. And thus ended our “Great Alaskan Tour.”
Some more Hot Springs pics:
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| Main street architecture |
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| Another neoclassic building |
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| More beautiful buildings |
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| Another hotel |
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| Old veteran's hospital |
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| Corinthian columns |
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| We are home! |
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