Today we ventured a few miles up the road to Hot Springs National Park. Once again a different type of park. We accidently came across the Mountain Loop and so we drove up to the observation tower. It was lucky that we found it at all. We were just slowly driving up the road and a car came up behind us rather fast. Tom pulled over to let them pass. When we reached the tower and were paying to go up a young man walked up and said thank you for moving over. I was supposed to be here at 9:00 a.m. The other man at the counter asked if he was sleeping one off. It was closer to 10:00.
There is a wonderful history of the Hot Springs on the second floor of the observation tower and we spent some time there. It is all enclosed but the top floor is open with the same views. We enjoyed both floors. Here are some views from the top and an observation platform lower on the mountain. We didn’t jump in the elevator by the way.
Next we visited the visitor center. This was the old Fordyce Bathhouse and the tubs and other paraphernalia are still there. It was interesting. We watched a good video about the history of the park and Hot Springs.
After our visit and me getting a national park passport stamp we headed back to the truck. It had started raining and let me warn you all now, DO NOT step on the metal pieces in Hot Springs with sandals while it’s raining. I took a nose dive and hit the pavement. Tom was grabbing for me. The people walking in front of us, of course, returned to try to help. One man said, “you’ll feel it in the morning.” He’s likely not wrong. I’m fine and we continued our journey on. I did come across another one of those metal pieces and walked to the side of it. They are working on the streets and have large metal pieces on the sidewalks and road areas.
We are at Finish Line RV Park. A strange place with no office, a gate with a code and the concrete slabs are downhill, well most of them. The park tables all have skeleton ghosts attached and there is a ghost family out in front of the laundry/store. Everything is on your honor, pay by Venmo. Not many people here but it’s the end of the season. We’re heading out to Oklahoma in the morning, where we’ll be for 3 months. I’m hoping for some okra! Praying your journeys are blessed.
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