Libations: Hot Springs, Cool Hikes and Cupcakes

Once we got settled at the Gulpha Gorge Campground, we went into the park proper, which at this park, is town. It is an unusual, urban National Park. The hot springs have drawn people here for healing and relaxation since they were discovered. The National Park Service is tasked to preserve and to distribute the water (freely). Bathhouse row still has two operational bathhouses, but I was unable to get a appointment at the last minute, so we didn't partake of their immersion services. The main visitors center is in the old Fordyce bathhouse and is also a museum. There are numerous hot and cold spring fountains where you can fill up your jug with the spring water. Before seeing the exhibits, we ate lunch in town at the SQZBX Brewery and Pizza, with an accordion theme and delicious food, beer and cider.

Worth the walk to the end of the main drag.

I had the dry, unfiltered apple cider. Yum.

Mushroom and garlic pizza.

No really. An urban National Park.

I loved the storm sewer covers.

The Buckstaff Bathhouse has been in continuous operation since 1912.

The Fordyce is now the Visitors Center and Museum.

The ceiling of the men's bathhouse waiting area.

The needle shower in the women's area. Yow!

Some of the massage equipment delivered electric shocks!

The men's fitness room. The women didn't get one.

The military sent a lot of soldiers here to recuperate and heal.

Russ at the Maurice hot spring gate.

Most of the hot springs are covered like this.

The hot water cascade. The water comes out at 143 degrees F.

We walked the Grand Promenade after visiting the museum.

The Grand Promenade paving was finished after 1940.

Baked potato with broccoli and cheese sauce dinner back at the trailer.

In the morning we started hiking some of the 80 miles of park trails. One trail area has the trailhead in our campground, so we started up the Gupha Gorge Trail to the top of Spring Mountain. We then looped around the Hot Springs Mountain Trail and did the Goat Rock Trail on the way back to meet the Gulpha Gorge trail and back to our camp. It was about 4.8 miles according to Russ GPS watch. Nice, not too hot, and very pretty. We saw deer.

Gulpha Creek crossing to start the hike.

View from Hot Springs Peak.

I don't know what these are. Please let me know.

Beautiful trail.

Goat Rocks.

The view from the Goat Rocks Viewpoint.

We finished hiking by about noon, so we went into town for lunch at a little spot called Fat Jacks. It was fun! We decided that this was as close to Louisiana as we would get on this trip so we should go for some Cajun food. I had the crawtail po'boy and Russ got Gumbo. The entire interior was covered with ink pen graffiti and they were playing a wide variety of weird music, but it was all blending into a fabulous meal.

Fat Jacks.

This was my favorite graffiti.

Everything was covered like this.

Refreshing cucumber-lime cocktail and beer.

The crawfish po'boy was perfect.

Oyster po'boy plus gumbo = happy Russ.

Our final day in town was also delicious. We started with breakfast at The Pancake Shop. Then we went to walk it off at Whittington Park. We also filled up my water bottle at one of the cold spring fountains. We drove up the West Mountain Drive before returning to town for Fat Bottomed Girls Cupcakes. They have 81 flavors of cupcake! We only bought six to take back to the R-Pod with us, but they will disappear fast.