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In the park, the hot springs have not been preserved in their unaltered state as natural surface phenomena. They have instead been managed to conserve the production of uncontaminated hot water for public use. The mountains within the park are also managed within this conservation philosophy in order to preserve the hydrological system that feeds the springs.
People have used the hot spring water in therapeutic baths for more than two hundred years to treat rheumatism and other ailments. While it was a reservation, the area developed into a well-known resort nicknamed "The American Spa" because it attracted not only the wealthy but indigent health seekers from around the world as well.
The park includes portions of downtown Hot Springs and is one of the most easily visited national parks. There are numerous hiking trails and camping areas. Bathing in the hot springs is permitted but costs extra. The entire "Bathhouse Row" area is a National Historic Landmark District that contains the grandest collection of bathhouses of its kind in North America, including many outstanding examples of Gilded Age architecture.
The park recorded over 1.5 million visitors in 2003 and has become increasingly popular since 9-11.