THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Hot Springs National Park will host the annual Hot Springs Water Festival on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Arlington Lawn near historic Bathhouse Row.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park today announced a new 10-year concession contract that will expand visitor access to traditional bathing services at Buckstaff Bathhouse, including longer operating hours and advance reservations.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a full day of patriotic festivities on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Hosted in partnership with the Friends of Hot Springs National Park and America’s National Parks, the celebration features a community parade along Bathhouse Row, and the “Red, White & YOU” picnic on Arlington Lawn with live performances, games, activities, and more. All events are free and open to the public.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service has scheduled a one-day site visit on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, for organizations interested in bidding on the new ten-year Concession Contract No. CC-HOSP002-27 to provide traditional bathhouse and massage therapy services within Hot Springs National Park here.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service (NPS) today celebrated the groundbreaking of the Maurice Bathhouse rehabilitation project at Hot Springs National Park, marking a major milestone in the preservation of one of the park’s most iconic historic structures. The project is made possible through an investment of $31.6 Million from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund.
Official NPS source
In partnership with CHI St. Vincent – a regional health network serving central and southwest Arkansas – Hot Springs National Park is thrilled to introduce a seasonal health promotion program series called “Hike to Health.” The first event will be held on Sat., April 27 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Whittington Park.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park anticipates large crowds and heavy traffic in the days before, during, and after the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Starting Thursday, April 4, and extending through Monday, April 8, the park will host special events and community programs, and implement select road closures to ensure visitor safety and resource protection.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park is planning to conduct prescribed burns on portions of Hot Springs Mountain on Monday, February 26 and West Mountain and a portion of Whippoorwill on Thursday, February 29, 2024, if weather conditions remain favorable.
Official NPS sourceBeginning January 8, 2024, crews from Hot Springs National Park will be conducting hazard tree removal on all park-maintained roadways.
Official NPS source
For the next 6 months, crews will be working to restabilize the banks along Whittington Creek on the West side of Whittington Park. Work on the project will begin on Friday, October 13 and is expected to continue through March 11, 2024, while the historic rock walls along the bank are deconstructed, reinforced, and replaced.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park is dedicated to preserving the historic Magnolia Promenade and ensuring that the Southern Magnolia trees can continue to safely thrive for generations to come. Starting on October 15, five Southern Magnolia trees, Magnolia grandiflora, will be planted to replace five hazardous trees that will be removed.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park will host the Hot Springs Water Festival on October 7th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on the Arlington Lawn near historic Bathhouse Row.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park has selected Sofie van Doorn as the 2023 Artist-in-Residence (AIR). van Doorn is a contemporary dancer and choreographer and will be the park’s first such artist selected as an AIR. Since the program’s inception in 2004, the park has hosted 65 different artists, poets, musicians, ceramicists, weavers, quilters, photographers, and writers from across the nation.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park is planning to conduct a prescribed burn on portions of Hot Springs Mountain on Wednesday March 15, 2023, depending on weather conditions.
Official NPS source
The Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center and Museum at Hot Springs National Park will close on Tuesday, January 17 and remain closed through mid-February 2023. During this time, National Park Service staff and contractors will install new interpretive exhibits inside the facility. The visitor center lobby will remain open to the public.
Official NPS sourceBeginning Monday, September 12 and continuing through Wednesday, September 14, the cold spring water jug fountain located on Fountain Street will be temporarily out of service for maintenance upgrades.
Official NPS sourceBeginning Wednesday, September 7 and continuing through Friday, September 9, the cold spring water jug fountain located on Whittington Ave. will be temporarily out of service for maintenance upgrades.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park will host “The Battle of Downtown”- a trash cleanup competition on September 24th from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm to celebrate National Public Lands Day.
Official NPS sourceStarting August 29th and extending through September 30th, 20 sites at Gulpha Gorge campground will be undergoing much-needed repairs. Sites #25-44 will be closed for this time period and will all be repaved, leveled, and in some cases, lengthened to accommodate larger Recreational Vehicles (RVs).
Official NPS sourceBeginning Monday, August 22, and continuing through Friday, August 26, thermal water service will be temporarily interrupted while contractors install new controls for the thermal water collection and distribution system.
Official NPS source
After 6 years with Hot Springs National Park, K9 Officer Konyak has officially retired. Konyak is a seven-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois and during his tenure with the National Park Service has become one of the most celebrated K9 rangers across the agency.
Official NPS source
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 2.1 million visitors to Hot Springs National Park in 2021 spent $154 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 2,200 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $208 million.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park is proud to announce three public volunteer events as part of the Trail Recovery Leaders Project. The three events are: - July 23rd, Trail trash clean-up - July 30 - Invasive plant species removal - August 6 - Graffiti removal from Hot Springs' historic stone overlooks. All events take place from 9am to 11:30am.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park has selected four artists to participate in the 2022 Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program.
Official NPS sourceDue to a break in the water line, the Happy Hollow Cold Springs Fountain located on Fountain Street, is closed for repairs. The timeframe for reopening the fountain is unknown at this time.
Official NPS sourcePrescribed burn on Sugarloaf Mountain on Friday, March 4th. The only closure will be on the Sunset trail between Blacksnake Rd. and Cedarglades Rd.
Official NPS sourceHot Spring National Park West Mountain Road Extended Closure Monday, February 28 through Monday, March 14, 2022 for Continued Road Maintenance.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park had 2,162,884 recreational visits in 2021, topping the previous visitation record set in 1970. Additionally, the park surpassed 100 million accumulated recreation visits since reporting began in 1904.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park is planning to conduct prescribed fire operations Monday, February 14 through Wednesday, February 16, 2022, depending on weather conditions. Controlled burns may be completed on Sugarloaf Mountain, Music Mountain and, if time and weather permit, Graves Gravel Pit on Whittington Avenue.
Official NPS sourceWest Mountain Road in Hot Springs National Park will close temporarily from Whittington Ave Entrance/Exit to Prospect Ave Entrance/Ext. beginning Monday, February 14 through Monday, February 28, 2022. This closure will allow contractors to replace drainage culverts from West Mountain Summit to the park boundary.
Official NPS sourceControlled Fire Burn at Hot Springs National Park Graves Gravel Pit Feb. 1st - Feb. 3rd.
Official NPS sourceHot Spring National Park West Mountain Road Closed Tuesday, February 1 - 2, 2022 for Road Maintenance
Official NPS sourceStarting February 1, 2022, Hot Springs National Park will begin accepting on-line reservations for all 40 sites at the Gulpha Gorge Campground. Interested campers can begin making reservations on February 1, 2022, by going to www.recreation.gov, visiting the park’s camping page on the website, or by calling 1-877-444-6667.
Official NPS sourceStarting Wednesday, January 19, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will deploy a low-flying aircraft that will be visible to residents living near Hot Springs National Park (Park), as well as adjacent areas to the east of the park. The USGS is mapping aquifers in the areas surrounding Hot Springs National Park, in coordination with the National Park Service and Garland County, Arkansas, using a high-resolution airborne survey technique. The flights are expected to conclude by Thursday, January 20, depending on weather and flight conditions.
Official NPS sourceThere will be a controlled debris burn at Graves Gravel Pit from Monday, December 6th through Wednesday, December 8th.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park, in partnership with the local chapters of the National Audubon Society, Lake Catherine State Park, and the City of Hot Springs, will host its Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 19th, 2021.
Official NPS source
On Saturday, July 3rd, from 11:00am – 3:00pm on Arlington Lawn, Hot Springs National Park will be hosting BARK Ranger Day. This event is part of the park’s year-long celebration to commemorate its 100th anniversary as a national park.
Official NPS sourceBeginning Tuesday, May 4th, Hot Springs National Park will re-open the Fordyce Bathhouse Museum and Visitor Center. Since the beginning of the pandemic, park staff have offered information and orientation on the front porch of the Fordyce, and these services will continue. Beginning May 4, the interior of the museum and visitor center will be open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park will be hosting a BioBlitz utilizing iNaturalist on May 1st and 2nd. There will also be a Pollinator Fair on Arlington Lawn from 11-3pm on the 1st.
Official NPS source
Special Agents of the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch are seeking tips from the public to determine the circumstances related to the homicide of Paige Autumn White, a 32-year-old Caucasian female, in Hot Springs National Park.
Official NPS sourceThe thermal water jug fountain at the Libbey Physical Medicine Center at 500 Reserve Street will close temporarily beginning April 19, 2021. Hot Springs National Park staff and contractors are beginning a project to replace the roof on the Libbey Bathhouse and workers will need to close the area around it for safety. The fountain is expected to be closed for approximately 2 months or until the work is complete.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park is planning to conduct prescribed fire operations between March 8 and March 19, 2021. Exact dates will be determined depending on favorable weather conditions and will be posted as soon as fire specialists make the determination to conduct a burn. Controlled burns may be completed along Blacksnake Road near Crabtree Cemetery.
Official NPS sourceHot Springs National Park turns 100 years old on March 4, 2021, and to celebrate this milestone anniversary, the City of Hot Springs will deliver an official proclamation via horse-drawn carriage declaring March 4th as “Hot Springs National Park Day.” The Friends of Hot Springs National Park will provide birthday cupcakes from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm on the front porch of the Fordyce Bathhouse (the park Visitor Center – 369 Central Ave.) Residents and visitors alike can also take their photos in a birthday-themed photo booth while they are there. The park will release a special anniversary video on social media in conjunction with the event at the Fordyce. For everyone’s safety, facemasks are required on federal lands and visitors are reminded to maintain social distancing wherever possible.
Official NPS sourceTo protect the health of those who live, work, and visit national parks and National Park Service (NPS) facilities, and in support of President Biden’s Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing, NPS is immediately implementing a mask requirement for employees, visitors, partners and contractors.
Official NPS sourceThermal water service will be temporarily interrupted to inspect the main thermal water reservoir from January 26 to February 4.
Official NPS sourceBathhouse Row Emporium in the Lamar Bathhouse will be closed on Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th. The store will reopen with regular business hours on December 26th. The Fordyce Visitor Center will resume visitor services also on December 26, although the building remains closed to the public due to Covid-related public health concerns. Both also will close January 1 and resume services January 2, 2021.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs National Park invites the public and park partners to join in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Hot Springs’ designation as a national park. To celebrate this historic milestone, the park is planning a series of monthly and year-long events in conjunction with the City of Hot Springs, Visit Hot Springs, Friends of Hot Springs National Park, and other partners.
Official NPS source
Following an investigation by a team of US Park Rangers and Special Agents of the National Park Service (NPS) Investigative Services Branch, a man has been sentenced to serve 166 months in federal prison for assault and weapons violations in Hot Springs National Park.
Official NPS sourceThe Pullman and Sunset Trails are closed to visitors due to a small fire which occurred this morning. The Pullman Trailhead parking area at the end of Pullman Ave is also closed. Please exercise caution and be aware of emergency vehicles and fire personnel who are still working in the area.
Official NPS sourceThe Pullman Trail will be closed to bicyclists on Saturday, November 14 through approximately 3 pm on Sunday, November 15 due to the Güdrun Mountain Bike Festival.
Official NPS source
Hot Springs, Ark. - The National Park Service, together with the City of Hot Springs and Visit Hot Springs, announce the opening of the new Pullman Trail. This 0.65-mile trail connects hikers and mountain bikers from downtown Hot Springs to the Northwoods Trails through a section of Hot Springs National Park. Parking is available at the trailhead, located at the end of Pullman Avenue.
Official NPS sourceFollowing guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Hot Springs National Park continues to increase recreational access and visitor services. Beginning May 29th, the Gulpha Gorge Campground and Public Restrooms on Bathhouse Row will be open.
Official NPS source