Visiting Arkansas

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With our family visit in the Dallas/Fort Worth area over, it was time to start heading further east and starting north. Our goal was to take about a week to get up to the St Louis area for our annual service on the motorhome. That first day would take us about 200 miles to Texarkana. The drive through the maze of roads to get out of Dallas wasn’t fun but being Easter Sunday, the traffic was quite light. Texarkana is one of those cities that straddles two states. Given the name, it’s easy to know which two! Five years ago as we were heading out of Grapevine Texas, we stopped at the Texarkana Texas Elks Lodge. This time we thought we would mix it up a bit and stop at the Texarkana Arkansas Elks Lodge only about 4 miles from the other lodge. We knew this lodge had an electric outlet on the building by the pool. We pulled in and scoped out the spot.

Being Easter Sunday, we really weren’t expecting the lodge to be open, but there were two cars in the lot so I headed in to let somebody know we were traveling Elks and looking for a place to overnight. It was the bartender and one patron. I showed my membership card and chatted for a bit. As I headed back out to position the rig and connect to power, the bartender asked that we come back in for a drink. I think she was looking for a bit more company. We decided to go in for a beer and a couple other members showed up. One thing led to another and we had a couple more beers and even left with a couple of big containers of gumbo from a private party they had the day before. We have found over the years, that members at most Elks Lodges are quite welcoming and love to sit around with those of us passing through the area.

Our next stop was to be the Elks Lodge in Hot Springs. It was just under a 120 mile drive so we weren’t in a rush to leave in the morning. I headed out to get a geocache in one of the neighboring counties we haven’t been to yet. It was a pretty drive into the Hot Springs area. The lodge has 8 RV sites with power and water as well as a dump station. This lodge is closed on Mondays but there were dozens of cars in the parking lot. Apparently there was some group that had rented out the hall.  The good thing is the camping area and parking lot for the lodge are adjacent to each other but separate so getting in wasn’t an issue. There were several spots available so we picked one out and got settled.

We have actually been in Hot Springs back in March of 2015 prior to us going full time. Back then, we were working our way from Dallas, where we had just purchased our current motorhome, and heading to western New York. We had gotten a site within the national park campground, but it was a really unlevel site. We had spent 3 nights back then but can’t remember much about our visit, so our plan to spend 4 nights this visit will give us the opportunity to see some things again and possibly find other attractions in the area.

The next morning we set off to explore Garvan Woodland Gardens. This place was highly recommended to us by one of the Elks members in Texarkana when we mentioned Hot Springs was going to be our next stop. It was only a few miles from the lodge so it would be a quick drive. We headed there to arrive shortly after they open at 10 AM to hopefully beat the crowds. It is a very large place (about 210 acres) situated on Lake Hamilton.

Entrance to Garvan Woodlands

The map we received showed 49 points of interest to explore. Most visitors will likely follow the map but we really wanted to check out Anthony Chapel which is listed near the end of the route. So we did things a little bit differently and headed to the chapel so there wouldn’t be many visitors in my way for pictures. The walkway winds thru beautiful woods and gardens that leads to a 60 foot tall chapel that is unlike anything we’ve experienced before.

Pathway

Water Feature

Anthony Chapel

Angular Entrance Door

The wooden post and beam structure has huge angular glass panels that blends right in with the large trees that surround it. This is a prime wedding venue and from the sounds of it, can be used fairly frequently during the summertime. Several hundred feet from the chapel, in opposite directions, are the Bride’s Hall and Groom’s Quarters.

Inside Chapel Facing Altar

View from Altar

Just down the walkway from the chapel is the 55 foot tall carillon tower. The sixteen copper clad columns hold some bells up top although we never heard them play during our visit but it is still a rather impressive structure.

Carillon

Inside Carillon Looking Up

There is a nearby amphitheater that has a geocache hidden so we felt obligated to look for it while we were here and there were very few other people on this side of the gardens. There was also a quarter mile path that leads to the boat dock. It’s just under 100 foot elevation drop so it wasn’t a super easy route and when we got to the water level, there wasn’t a dock to be seen but it was still a pretty spot. The walk back up the hill was a little tiring but not too bad.

Amphitheater

Lake View from Boat Dock Area

With the back end of the tour out of the way, we could pick up the walking path following the intended route. There are several peacocks that live here and they just hang out near the visitor center. There are over 5 miles of walkways in the gardens and there is something beautiful around every turn. There were lots of plants showing off their spring flowers and many butterflies were flitting around. If you take your time to really soak in the beauty of the gardens, you will need several hours to see it all.

Peacock

Waterfalls

Butterfly

Pretty Arched Footbridge

Blooms Galore

At the far western end of the main peninsula is the Perry Wildflower Overlook. This was the perfect place to sit down and enjoy the sandwiches we had brought along. Even peanut butter and jelly tastes better, when you have an idyllic setting to eat them.

Colorful Butterfly

Lake View

The Children’s Adventure Garden has a lot of things for kids but possibly the most unique creation here was the treehouse. Calling it a treehouse might be a stretch since it is freestanding. But it is made of lots of wood and has a rather odd shape to it. There are several levels and a few climbing nets that kids can crawl up into separate rooms. I guess I lack the really creative gene because this thing is so unusual that I’m not sure how someone came up with the design.

Curved Bridge

Unusual Treehouse

Closeup of Treehouse

Inside Treehouse

Just to the north of the treehouse is smaller peninsula called the Hixson Nature Preserve. There is a perimeter path that leads around the preserve. It’s almost 1.5 miles long but seems to be less crowded and might be enjoyable to get a bit of a brisker walk in after the slow pace of the rest of our visit. Along this path is the site of the original homesite of Mrs Garvan but it wasn’t clear if a home was ever actually built here. From Eagle Point, at the western tip of the preserve, you get a great view of the lake. There are some impressive looking homes on the opposite shore.

More Flowers Blooming

Beautiful Home Across Lake

By now we have spent nearly 5 hours wandering the grounds and were tired so we headed back towards the visitor center. There is a rather elaborate model train setup and a volunteer running the trains. As we left the gardens, the male peacock was trying to impress the female but she wasn’t having any of it. This was a wonderful place to visit and a big thank you to the unnamed Texarkana Elks member that recommended it to us.

Model Trail

Strutting His Stuff

Hot Springs National Park is one of the more unique parks in the system. It is small (under 6000 acres) and is centered around Bathhouse Row - a series of elaborate bathhouses built in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. When we were last here 8 years ago we only had time to check out some of the bathhouses but there is more to the park in the surrounding mountains. The following day we set out with a couple of possible hikes in mind. I say possible since what we do will be dependent on getting one of the limited parking spots at the various trailheads. The plan is to combine parts of the Upper Dogwood Trail and the Goat Rock Trail into a 2.5 mile loop with about 400 feet of elevation gain. It turns out that most visitors to Hot Springs stay around the bathhouses so we didn’t have an issue with parking.

This turned out to be a rather nice hike in the woods. The trails were in great shape and we ran into very few other hikers along the way. There were a few spots along the way with decent views of the surrounding area. It was definitely nice to get back into a wooded environment more like what we are accustomed to back in Western NY. Goat Rock was okay although we saw no resemblance to a goat from any direction we viewed it. Maybe it was named for there being goats in the area when it was named? There is an old stone viewing platform with metal railing to keep us from falling. It was a pretty hike with lots of spiderworts in bloom.

Switchback Along Trail in Woods

Spiderwort

Goat Rock Viewing Platform

View from Goat Rock

We had our lunch in a neat stone shelter near our parking spot before going for hike number 2 of the day. We wanted to try out the Sunset Trail or at least a small portion of the 13 mile trail that loops around the park. We picked out the part of the loop near Rick’s Pond since it sounded like a very pretty section. We repositioned the car to DeSoto Park which is just a quarter mile or so from the pond. Once we get across the busy road, it is a nice walk along the trail coming up from below the dam creating the pond.

Dam and Falls at Rick's Pond

Rick’s Pond is rather tranquil. A couple dozen turtles were all lined up on a partially submerged fallen tree. Apparently they were not concerned with us because they didn’t jump in the water when we were spotted.

Rick's Pond

Turtles Lined Up

We liked the area and had energy left so we continued on past the pond along the Sunset Trail. A little over a mile into the hike, we came to the intersection with Fordyce Peaks Trail. While it sounded interesting and looked to be a nice trail, we opted to turn back and call it a day. The salamander we spotted climbing a tree, stopped long enough to get a photo before it ran off. There is definitely more to Hot Springs NP than just bathhouses.

Violets

Salamander

The next day we head back to Hot Springs to visit the bathhouses again. We really don’t remember that much from 8 years ago so we figure it is worth going back. There is a free parking garage just across the street so parking isn’t a problem. The ten or so buildings associated with Bathhouse Row only cover a quarter mile of Central Avenue. Only two of the old buildings are still being used as active bathhouses while the rest have been converted to a visitor center, cultural center or leased out to other businesses.

Hot Springs Visitor Center

Ozark Bathhouse

Quapaw Bathhouse

Details in Architecture

We aren’t looking to partake in a spa or hot spring experience so we skip the active bathhouses. The visitor center has many of the original features or at least have been restored to be like they were back in 1915 when the Fordyce opened. We found ourselves spending quite a long time exploring the various rooms inside. There are lots of information signs that explain the various items we are seeing and how the facilities were used back in the day. We were amazed at the novel services offered to the clients above and beyond sitting in a tub of hot mineral water. The most shocking ones (pun intended) were those that used some sort of electrical device to help cure or sooth a malady.

Inside Fordyce Bathhouse

17 Showerheads

Steam Chambers with Openings for Head

Ladies Changing Room

Looks Dangerous

But it wasn’t just a building full of health treatments, the stained glass and other artwork and furnishings were quite ornate. This was definitely designed for wealthy clientele. There was even one room configured to accommodate non-ambulatory patients into a tub using an overhead tram mounted on the ceiling.

Stained Glass

Large Sculpture

Stained Glass Ceiling

Gym From Yesteryear

Grand Piano

Vaulted Stained Glass Ceilings

Hubbard Tub

Some of the basement level was open to the public and it was possible to see where the hot spring water would enter the building and some of the maze of pipes that helped to adjust the water temperature and route it to the proper spot in the upper floors.

Spring Entry Point

Plumbing Nightmare

On the northern edge of Bathhouse Row is the Superior. Now a brewery, we felt obligated to head in for a cold one. They did have a decent selection of beers and we picked a couple that sounded good and headed to the outdoor sitting area to enjoy them and people watch.

Our Chosen Brews

After our drinks, we head north to pick up the Grand Promenade. The immense Arlington Hotel stands just above the bathhouses. The promenade is a wide brick walkway that is above and behind all the buildings we were just visiting from street level. In the side of the hill are many concrete and metal access points above each of the springs that come up naturally to the surface. Each one contains the plumbing that collects and directs the hot spring water to the appropriate building. From this vantage point, we get a better view of the fancy dome that sites atop the Quapaw building.

Arlington Hotel

Algae Growing in Hot Spring Water

Each Spring Has Access Spot

Grand Promenade

Quapaw Dome

At the southern end of the Grand Promenade is the old Army & Navy General Hospital. It wasn’t clear if it is still in use or not, but the exterior is in great condition. By this time we had pretty much exhausted our attention span for this type of place so we headed to a nearby geocache before wandering back to the car. A giant mural on the side of the building greets us as we walk by.  Hot Springs NP definitely isn’t our typical national park to visit but it was well worth the time to check out.

Old Hospital Building

Side of Hospital

Ornate Fountain

Mural

Like most short stops, there were likely many other things to see and do in the area but we were on a self imposed timeline to get to the St Louis area on Sunday evening in order to get our motorhome serviced. Our next stop would take us around Little Rock to the small town of Harrison Arkansas. Nothing special about Harrison other than there is an Elks Lodge with several 30 amp electric spots for overnight travelers. It was just under 200 miles from Hot Springs so it should work out well. Our route didn’t have any rest areas to stop for lunch but a big church with a huge parking should work fine for a Friday afternoon. Even managed to hop on the bike to go find a geocache in this county.

The Harrison Elks wasn’t open yet when we arrived so we walked across the street to the Army National Guard facility to find a geocache. This one was one of the larger ammo cans we have found but I suppose it makes sense based on its location. By the time we got back, the lodge was open and we headed in to let them know we were going to spend the night. Besides the bartender, there were a handful of locals over the course of the next hour or so. We had a couple of beers and sat around chatting. We did find out two facts about Harrison. It has the second Walmart store ever opened. Maybe not too surprising since Bentonville (Walmart’s home base) is just 60 miles to the west. The second fact would likely be one they might not want to brag about. It’s the mailing address for the Ku Klux Klan. It was hard to tell if they were proud of that or simply stating a fact? We spent a quiet night at our last stop in Arkansas before we head out. 

Appropriately Named Geocache