3 days of hot springs, lakes and the Ozarks

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   Morning

   Bathhouse Row

   A historic district of old bathhouses, fountains and promenades at the foot of Hot Springs Mountain, in Hot Springs National Park. The park was set aside in 1832 to protect 47 natural hot springs, and the row is a National Historic Landmark District. Some of the old bathhouses are museums and some still offer baths, so check ahead on what each one does today.

   Go when Morning, or in the evening (about 6:37 PM) when the fountains and the old fronts catch the light.

   Local tip Walk the row on foot first and read the signs. Some of the old bathhouses are museums and some still offer baths, so check ahead on what each one does today. The spring water is hot, so go carefully.

   

   About 21 min by car or transit5.5 mi
2. 2
   Morning

   Garvan Woodland Gardens

   A 210-acre botanical and woodland garden on a peninsula of Lake Hamilton, run by the University of Arkansas, with streams, waterfalls, rocky slopes and a Japanese garden. Walk the paths slowly and look across the water. Check ahead on the opening and on any closed months.

   Go when Morning, when the paths are cool.

   Local tip The gardens are on a peninsula, so the paths climb and drop between rock, water and trees. Wear shoes with grip, take a hat, and check ahead on the opening and on any month when the gardens are closed.

   

3. Lunch

   A country ham biscuit

   A warm buttermilk biscuit filled with thin slices of salty country ham, a quick lunch for a day of short drives.

   Local tip Add a little pepper jelly if it is offered.

   About 22 min by car or transit5.7 mi
4. 3
   Midday

   Hot Springs Mountain Tower

   A lattice steel observation tower, 216 feet high, on Hot Springs Mountain, opened in 1983 as the third tower on the mountain. The view takes in the town, the park and the surrounding Ouachita hills. Check ahead on the opening and on the road up.

   Go when Midday on a clear day, when the hills show well.

   Local tip Go up for the view over the town and the Ouachita hills. Haze can hide the far ridges, so pick a clear day if you can, and check ahead on the opening and on the road up the mountain.

   

5. Dinner

   Fried catfish and hushpuppies

   Cornmeal-crusted catfish, fried until crisp, with hushpuppies, small fried balls of cornmeal batter, and a side of slaw, a supper of the lakes and rivers of the state.

   Local tip Squeeze lemon over the fish and try the hushpuppies with a little hot sauce.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Hot Springs Mountain TowerAbout 2 h 27 min by car106.0 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   Midday

   Buffalo National River

   The first river in the country designated a National River, 153 miles long, flowing east from the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks. The upper river passes Boxley and Ponca, where an old low-water bridge still crosses it. Look for the elk herd, the only one in the state, and keep your distance. Check ahead on the water level and the weather before you go near the river.

   Go when Morning, as early as you can, before the day warms up.

   Local tip It is a long road from Hot Springs, so check the road and the weather before you go. Cell service drops out in the hills, so download a map. Keep your distance from the elk, and stay out of high or fast water.

   

   About 9 min by car or transit1.4 mi
3. 2
   Midday

   Lost Valley

   A side valley on Arkansas 43 between Boxley and Ponca, reached by a trail up a creek, with bluffs, a cave and a waterfall. The trail is rocky and uneven, and it can be wet after rain. Wear shoes with grip, carry a light, and check ahead on the creek and the trail.

   Go when Morning, before the trail fills.

   Local tip The trail runs up a creek between bluffs to a cave and a waterfall. It is rocky and wet in places, so wear shoes with grip, carry a light for the cave, and check ahead on the creek and the trail after rain.

4. Lunch

   A picnic of ham and cheese

   Biscuits with sliced country ham and cheese, an apple and a cold drink, packed in town the day before, for a stop by the river.

   Local tip Pack out what you pack in, and keep food away from bears.

   About 30 min by car or transit9.0 mi
5. 3
   Afternoon

   Hawksbill Crag

   A rock ledge over a canyon in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness, also called Whitaker Point, reached by the one official trail in the wilderness. The trail is rough and the footing is uneven near the edge, and black bears live in the wilderness. Keep back from the edge, wear shoes with grip, and check ahead on the road.

   Go when Afternoon, with time to spare before the light fades.

   Local tip The trail is the one official trail in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness, and it is rough, with an uneven edge at the end. Wear shoes with grip, take water and keep back from the drop. Black bears live here, so store food away.

6. Dinner

   A catfish plate

   A plate of fried catfish with fries, slaw and hushpuppies, a simple supper in a small town of the hills after a day on the trail.

   Local tip Ask about the catch of the day.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Hawksbill CragAbout 1 h 25 min by car54.5 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MorningBook ahead

   Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

   An art museum in Bentonville that opened in 2011, with eight interconnected pavilions by the architect Moshe Safdie set among 120 or more acres of Ozark forest and trails. Its collection looks at American art across many periods. Wear shoes for the trails, and check ahead on the opening and on any timed entry.

   Go when Morning, as an indoor stop with trails outside.

   Local tip Walk the trails around the pavilions as well as the galleries, since the buildings sit in the forest. Wear shoes for the paths, and check ahead on the opening and on any timed entry.

   

   About 1 h 22 min by car52.5 mi
3. 2
   Midday

   Boxley Valley

   The Big Buffalo Valley Historic District, a working landscape of family farms along Arkansas 43 beside the river, most of them dating from 1870 to 1930. Drive it slowly with the windows down, and stop at the pull-offs. The farms are private, so stay on the road.

   Go when Midday into afternoon, with the windows down.

   Local tip Drive the valley road slowly and stop at the pull-offs. The farms are private and still worked, so stay on the road and give the animals room. Check ahead on the road in wet weather.

   

   About 1 h 22 min by car51.9 mi
4. 3
   Midday

   The Momentary

   A contemporary art space in Bentonville that works as a satellite of Crystal Bridges and opened in 2020. Look at what is on show, and check ahead on the opening and on any events.

   Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip A contemporary art space tied to Crystal Bridges, so the shows change. Look at what is on, and check ahead on the opening and on any events.

5. Dinner

   Pecan pie

   A slice of pecan pie, a sweet filling of pecans, syrup and butter in a flaky crust, after a plain supper of the region.

   Local tip Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and share a slice.