Hot Springs National Park

Day 158

Although we are headed to St. Louis for work that doesn't mean we should stop enjoying the trip. This would prove itself to be the weirdest National Park I've experienced yet. The land owned by the federal government is literally in the town of Hot Springs.

To the left: Downtown- To the right: National Park

It's the least preserved feeling National Park of all. The main attractions of the park consist of bathouses from the early 1900's that used the natural springs to lure in customers. Today approximately 3/4 of these buildings are privately owned and still ran as businesses. One of the buildings has been turned into the visitor center and invites guest to take a walk back to the early 1900's. Keep in mind as you scroll through the following pictures: this was the lap of luxury back then. 

The visitor center

Women's steam room

Steam cabinet to relieve aches and pains

State of the art gym circa 1915

A "cooling" room after your steam

After a couple hours of moseying around it was time to hit the streets and check out a real hot spring. Here's one behind a bathhouse still doing it's thing today. 

With another National Park knocked out it was time to hit the road. By 1400 we were stacking on the miles and heading north toward Jacksonport Arkansas. They've got room for big RV's at a state park and we want a decent place to stay for the night. This will be our last night on the road and we don't want it to suck. Yep.... last night on the road. A somber thought considering this was supposed to be a year long trip. By the time we got there it was 1700. The weather had stayed cold and gloomy for most of the drive. We parked and did our normal set up to settle in for the night. A storm was on it's way in and we were both excited about that. This would be the first time we had seen rain since the Redwoods almost two months ago. We'll get to experience it all to ourselves. Nobody else is stupid enough to go camping in the cold weather.