Hot springs are bodies of water heated naturally underground by a combination of rocks and minerals. The surface temperature of the water can reach up to 143ºF. Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a popular location with bathhouses operated by private companies.
Hot springs are ponds, portions of a lake or pools in which the water has been heated naturally underground. The body of water that houses the water can vary in size. Geologists think that a particular combination of rocks and minerals found underground work together to create hot springs. These rocks and minerals are believed to trap springs and allow them to ferment, which warms the water. The heated water sterilizes itself and causes the bubbles to rise to the surface.
The surface water temperature must be well above normal ground temperature to be considered a hot spring. While the ground temperature in many areas averages 57ºF (13.9ºC), the surface temperature of the water in the springs can reach temperatures between 100 and 37.8ºC.
Throughout the United States, numerous locations boast natural hot springs. Arkansas is home to the most popular place, Hot Springs National Park. The park was designated a National Park in 1832, which gives the area special protection. This helped prevent the springs from being damaged by tourists or business ventures.
Hot Springs National Park is about an hour’s drive southwest of Little Rock, Arkansas. It is open all year round, seven days a week. The water is very pure and reaches temperatures up to 143ºF (61.7ºC). A number of hiking trails, picnic areas, camping areas, and beach clubs can be found throughout the park.
Most of the park’s bathhouses are locked around the clock and are operated by private companies. Access to the bathing establishments generally requires the payment of a fixed fee and sometimes an appointment. A full body massage at a bathhouse typically includes a soaking experience in the hot springs, a manicure, pedicure, and face and body scrub.
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