5-30 Hot hot hot springs!

We weren’t sure what to expect from Arkansas. A local Dollar Store provided us with some vital s’mores supplies and other essentials. Our first Wal-Mart stop occurred when we realized that the pot cooker won’t work in the van since it has too high of an output. We tried getting another adapter, but that only blew one of our fuses. So we immediately returned the adapter, bought a new fuse and a 3-quart pot, and moved on. Still mixed feelings about AR at this point. That all changed when we arrived at Hot Springs. The town is built in and around the side of a mountain. There are fountains and springs around the center of the city, all producing water over 110 degrees. Bathhouse Row had various styles of bathhouses where you could pay to sit in the spring water for as long as you want. Some had spa treatment and cafes as well. We didn’t go into any of the baths but we stuck our hands in the hot water in the outdoor springs around town.

Fordyce Bathhouse

Hot Springs Nat’l Park Visitor Center is located in the Fordyce Bathhouse. They told us that the park was full for the weekend, so we found a kiosk across the street with information on Lake Ouachita Nat’l Park . We ended up there instead, and it was a breathtaking place. For $12 we got to camp right on the lake. We cooked a nice meal of brown rice, red beans, pepper, and Frank’s hot sauce with s’mores for dessert. After some swimming, reading, and playing cards, we were all pretty tired. It was a good night’s sleep. No mosquitoes. Low humidity. Only a few really weird noises. A nice breeze. We had a great time here and couldn’t have planned a better place to camp. Arkansas is a beautiful place!