Best Time to Visit Hot Springs National Park

Pick a month. Best months are in bold.

The best months to visit Hot Springs National Park are January, September and October — computed from official NPS visitation (2021–2025 average), NOAA weather normals and daylight. June is the crowd peak (346,155 monthly visits); September is quietest at 37% of peak.

Bring for Hot Springs in January

Warm mid-layer (fleece or light puffy)See it on AmazonWhy: mornings average 32°F.
Rain shell + pack coverSee it on AmazonWhy: 3.8″ of precipitation is normal this month.
HeadlampSee it on AmazonWhy: only 10.1 hours of daylight in mid-January.

January is one of Hot Springs's best months. Going in another month? Pick it in the month row above: each month page has its own list.

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Current NPS alerts (as of 2026-10-31, live conditions →):

Burn Ban in Park (Information)

Best months for fewer crowds

The quietest months at Hot Springs, leaving out harsh weather and months when main access is typically closed.

Hot Springs in January37% of the June peak Hot Springs in September37% of the June peak Hot Springs in December39% of the June peak

Monthly crowd curve

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Average monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). Amber bar = current month.

Stone entrance pillars in front of a row of four bathouses — Hot Springs National Park — photo: NPS photo (public-domain NPS media)

Hot Springs month by month

Month	Verdict	Avg visits	% of peak	High / Low	Precip	Daylight
January	Best window	127,539	37%	52°F / 32°F	3.8″	10.1h
February	Shoulder	204,533	59%	56°F / 35°F	4.6″	10.9h
March	Peak crowds	249,659	72%	65°F / 42°F	5.5″	11.9h
April	Shoulder	234,658	68%	74°F / 51°F	5.9″	13h
May	Shoulder	228,129	66%	80°F / 60°F	6.5″	14h
June	Peak crowds	346,155	100%	88°F / 68°F	4.3″	14.5h
July	Peak crowds	285,836	83%	93°F / 72°F	4.5″	14.3h
August	Shoulder	215,900	62%	93°F / 71°F	3.6″	13.5h
September	Best window	127,359	37%	86°F / 64°F	4.2″	12.4h
October	Best window	149,687	43%	75°F / 52°F	5.1″	11.4h
November	Shoulder	149,291	43%	63°F / 42°F	4.9″	10.4h
December	Shoulder	134,935	39%	53°F / 35°F	5.0″	9.9h

Crowds: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, mean of 2021–2025 (2020 excluded as a COVID-19 anomaly). Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station HOT SPRINGS 1 NNE, AR US (0 mi from park coordinates). Daylight: computed for the 15th of each month at the park's location. Methodology.

How many people visit Hot Springs each year

Hot Springs National Park had 2,494,611 recreation visits in 2025, 1% more than 2024 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). The busiest year since 2015 was 2022, with 2,646,133. Over 2021–2025 it averaged 2,453,681 visits a year, which makes it the 14th most-visited of the 63 national parks.

Year	Recreation visits	vs. year before
2025	2,494,611	+1%
2024	2,461,812	−2%
2023	2,502,967	−5%
2022	2,646,133	+22%
2021	2,162,884	+60%
2020	1,348,215	−8%
2019	1,467,153	−3%
2018	1,506,887	−4%
2017	1,561,616	+1%
2016	1,544,300	+9%
2015	1,418,162	—

Calendar-year recreation visits as published by NPS Visitor Use Statistics. 2020 is shown here but left out of the monthly averages above, because the COVID-19 pandemic makes it unrepresentative. See how every park compares: all 63 parks ranked by visits.

What to pack for Hot Springs in January

Computed from January's weather normals — Hot Springs's best month above. Visiting another month? Each month page has its own weather-computed list.

Warm mid-layer (fleece or light puffy) — mornings average 32°F
Rain shell + pack cover — 3.8″ of precipitation is normal this month
Headlamp — only 10.1 hours of daylight in mid-January (compare other options)
Waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 3.8″ of precipitation is normal this month

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Common questions

What is the best month to visit Hot Springs?

January, September and October rank best for Hot Springs on VisitWhen's computed score — the strongest balance of low crowds (NPS data), comfortable weather (NOAA normals) and daylight. The numbers are on Hot Springs in January.

What is the most crowded month at Hot Springs?

June: an average of 346,155 recreation visits (NPS, 2021–2025). The quietest is September, at 37% of the June peak.

When is Hot Springs least crowded with decent conditions?

January, at 37% of the June peak (127,539 average visits). September is level with it at 37% of the June peak, so either month works.

How many people visit Hot Springs per year?

What is the weather like at Hot Springs through the year?

The warmest month is July, with average highs of 93°F. The coldest nights come in January, averaging 32°F. The wettest month is May, with 6.5″ of precipitation. (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, HOT SPRINGS 1 NNE, AR US station.)

Hot Springs month by month: notes from the park service

January: Planning a January soak at Hot Springs? Check hours first: the Buckstaff Bathhouse offers traditional bathing and the Quapaw a mix of traditional and modern, each with its own schedule online.
February: February at Hot Springs National Park is a bathhouse month, but plan by business, not by park: each building on Bathhouse Row is run by its own operator with its own hours. The Lamar Bathhouse Emporium (park bookstore) keeps 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, the Buckstaff and Quapaw publish bathing hours on their own websites, and the Maurice is closed for renovations.
October: Hot Springs National Park centres on Bathhouse Row, where each bathhouse is run by a private or non-profit business that sets its own hours. For a traditional soak, the Buckstaff offers classic bathing and the Quapaw mixes traditional and modern bathing; check each one's website for October hours.
November: Hot Springs in November: the bathhouses on Bathhouse Row are run by separate businesses that set their own hours, so check each before you go. The Lamar Bathhouse Emporium, which is the park bookstore, opens every day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
December: A December stroll down Hot Springs' Bathhouse Row takes in more than bathing. The Ozark Bathhouse holds the Mystic Ozark, an interactive science museum; the Hale Bathhouse is a boutique hotel with a restaurant; and the Superior Bathhouse is a restaurant and brewery.

Each month page carries the full note and the NPS page it comes from.