Best Time to Visit Hot Springs National Park
SeptemberBest month to visit
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Visit Hot Springs in September
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, June is the most crowded month (~1.5× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
2.5M
2025
Busiest month
Jun
1.5× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.6× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+65.2%
More photos of Hot Springs
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Hot Springs by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 54 Fair | 52°F / 32°F | 9.9 h |
| February | Average | 47 Fair | 56°F / 35°F | 10.8 h |
| March | Average | 44 Poor | 65°F / 42°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 58 Fair | 74°F / 51°F | 12.9 h |
| May | Average | 64 Good | 80°F / 60°F | 13.8 h |
| June | Busy | 39 Poor | 88°F / 68°F | 14.3 h |
| July | Busy | 39 Poor | 93°F / 72°F | 14.1 h |
| August | Busy | 46 Fair | 93°F / 71°F | 13.3 h |
| September★ best | Quiet | 69 Good | 86°F / 64°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Average | 66 Good | 75°F / 52°F | 11.1 h |
| November | Quiet | 56 Fair | 63°F / 42°F | 10.2 h |
| December | Quiet | 51 Fair | 53°F / 35°F | 9.7 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00033466, ~1.1 mi away).
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About visiting Hot Springs
Hot Springs National Park is a National Park in AR and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 2.5 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 65.2%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: June is the busiest month at about 1.5× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.6× — a 3-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 34% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 83°F in July down to about 42°F in January, with the wettest stretch in May. About 7 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the June rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.7 hours in midwinter to 14.3 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. Ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.
Weather & conditions
Average temperatures in Hot Springs can range from about 90°F (32°C) to less than 27°F (-2.7°C). Summer days can be hot and humid, with heat index values up to 110ºF (43ºC). Winter wind chills can make temperatures feel much colder, as low as 15ºF (-9.4ºC). Spring and fall typically have the most rainfall. Generally, Hot Springs experiences mild weather throughout the year.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Hot Springs
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Hot Springs National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Hot Springs
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Hot Springs National Park is Memorial Field (HOT), about 5 mi (11 min drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), about 1 hr 12 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Field (HOT)Closest | 5 mi | 11 min | SeaPort Airlines |
| Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT)Best for flights | 56 mi | 1 hr 12 min | American Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Gulf Air, Silk Avia, Southwest Airlines |
| Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) | 187 mi | 3 hr 25 min | Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines |
| Memphis International Airport (MEM) | 199 mi | 3 hr 41 min | American Airlines, Delta, Fly Lili, SeaPort Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) | 205 mi | 4 hr | Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Memorial Field (HOT) — about 11 min from the park.
- Most flights / best value: Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) — the largest hub near Hot Springs, about 1 hr 12 min away.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Hot Springs National Park. The park is busiest in June (about 1.5× the average month) and quietest in January.
June is the busiest month at Hot Springs National Park, running roughly 1.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Hot Springs National Park, at about 0.6× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Hot Springs National Park recorded about 2,494,611 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+65.2%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Hot Springs National Park averages about 83°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Memorial Field (HOT) is the closest airport to Hot Springs National Park, about 5 mi (11 min drive) away.
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) is the nearest major airport, about 56 mi (1 hr 12 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Hot Springs.
There is no airport inside Hot Springs National Park. Fly into Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) and drive the rest of the way — about 1 hr 12 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Hot Springs
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Lake Winona water qualityGrade A · 22 mi · AR
- Lake Maumelle water qualityGrade A · 36 mi · AR
- Lake Maumelle water qualityGrade A · 39 mi · AR
- Lake Hamilton water qualityGrade C · 5 mi · AR
- Lake Ouachita water qualityGrade C · 9 mi · AR
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.