Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bathhouses, for visitors to bathe in—the Buckstaff and Quapaw and the Museum of Con-
temporary Art (MOCA)—the first contemporary art museum in Arkansas, is housed in the
Ozark Bathhouse.
TheFordyce,anotheroftheoldbathhouses,operatesasamuseumandvisitorcenter.In
additiontoitsexhibitsontheworkingsofthesprings,theFordycedetailstheregion'spast,
especially the city's heyday, when gangsters and movie stars gambled in local casinos.
Secondary roads wind up and down the ZigZag Mountains, the idyllic background for
the city and park. One unforgettable drive—with hairpin curves and steep ascents—leads
to the observation tower at the crest of Hot Springs Mountain. The view looks out on the
dense forests that cover both the nearby and faraway mountains, an especially dazzling
sight when autumn colors the leaves.
GarvanWoodlandGardens,located onawoodedpeninsula jutting intoLake Hamilton,
isbreathtaking.Itsflorallandscapes,streams,andwaterfalls—aswellashundredsofnative
and exotic plant species—make a visit well worthwhile.
2.
Lake Ouachita State Park
Before continuing on Rte. 7, consider a side trip on Rtes. 270 and 227 to Lake Ouachita
(
WASH-i-taw
).Setamidaforestofpines,theparkoffersnaturetalksandtours,cabins,and
camping, as well as springs and trails. The lake—large, scalloped with coves, and notable
foritscleanliness—isidealforallsortsofwatersports.Forthosewhotryfishing,thecatch
might include bass, bream, trout, and catfish.
3.
Ouachita National Forest
Heading north from Hot Springs, Scenic Highway 7 passes souvenir shops, stores offering
quartz and other rocks, fruit stands, sparkling creeks, and tree-covered hills. Farther along,
the highway carves a course for more than 23 miles through Ouachita National Forest.
Soon after entering these wooded wilds, the drive runs downhill beside Trace Creek,
which rushes beneath a canopy of shortleaf pines and hardwood trees. Thousands of wild-
flowers—orchids, lilies, and irises, among them—also thrive along the road.
Campsitesareplentiful,andtowhileawaytheday,visitorscanbeonthewatchforsuch
creatures as whitetailed deer, beavers, great blue herons, and wild turkeys. In the morning
a chorus of songbirds greets the dawn, and come nighttime, owls and frogs sing their own
peculiar brands of music.
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