Grand Promenade

The Grand Promenade in downtown Hot Springs (Garland County) is about a half mile long, connecting the city’s Reserve Street to Fountain Street. The eight-foot-wide brick walkway is located behind the famed Bathhouse Row, running parallel to the back of the bathhouses. It is not to be confused with the Magnolia Promenade, a scenic sidewalk in front of the bathhouse buildings that is bounded by Central Avenue. In 1982, the Grand Promenade became recognized as a National Recreational Trail. In 1987, along with Bathhouse Row, the Grand Promenade was also designated as a National Historic Landmark District. The promenade is especially known for its scenic views of Hot Springs and the Hot Springs National Park.

In addition to providing a pleasant place to stroll or jog, the Grand Promenade’s forested trail also offers a number of benches and tables, including an area for playing chess. The mostly flat walkway is accessible for those with limited mobility, and there are historical markers and photos along the way as well as interpretive information. There are also open thermal springs and visible veins of quartz.

The Grand Promenade project was funded in 1933 by the Public Works Administration (PWA), a part of Franklin Roosevelt’s Depression-era federal New Deal program. At the time, there was some local opposition to the project by people who thought the area that was proposed for the promenade should be either a bypass for downtown traffic or a parking lot. The National Park Service (NPS) believed the area should be a walkway to provide a peaceful retreat into nature as a transition from busy Central Avenue. The NPS prevailed, and grading for the Grand Promenade was completed in 1935.

When the Imperial Bathhouse closed and the building was demolished in 1937, its former spot on the south end of Bathhouse Row provided the space to create a landscaped entrance to the Grand Promenade. NPS sources indicate that at least some of the brickwork and decorative touches on the promenade’s walkway may have been performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), another New Deal agency, between 1939 and 1942. At that time, a drinking fountain was added near the entrance.

Work on the Grand Promenade experienced a lull during World War II and the immediate postwar years, but in 1956, the project was resumed. Landscaping and lighting, which became the promenade’s final touches, were completed in 1958. The landscape design plan of the promenade incorporates both natural and formal elements. By meeting criteria such as being of high quality and offering community benefits, in 1982 the Grand Promenade was named one of the country’s National Recreational Trails, which are designated by the federal government to provide healthy recreational opportunities and promote economic development through tourism.

Offering scenic views, the Grand Promenade runs in a north/south direction and can be accessed from either end. The north end of the promenade is adjacent to the Arlington Hotel. The Reserve Street entrance anchors the south side where the promenade can be accessed via stairs. There is a ramp at the Fountain Street entrance as well as a ramp behind the Fordyce Bathhouse. Between the Maurice Bathhouse and the National Park Visitor Center at the Fordyce, there is a picturesque staircase called the Stevens Balustrade, named for engineer Robert Stevens, who oversaw improvements to the park in the 1890s. The staircase provides an entrance from Bathhouse Row off Central Avenue. A trail guide is available at the Fordyce Visitor Center.

One of the most popular features of the Grand Promenade is the open thermal spring called the Hot Water Cascade, which is the largest visible spring in Hot Springs National Park. It is unique due to its thermal spring water flowing down a series of moss-covered rocks instead of bubbling up from underground. In addition, among several trails that begin on the promenade, the Peak Trail is a route to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. Another, the Oertel Trail, leads to the Gulpha Gorge Trail and Gulpha Gorge Campground.

Along with being a magnet for leisurely strolls, the Grand Promenade also attracts people enjoying picnics and other small gatherings. The Grand Promenade is free and open to the public twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

For additional information:
“Grand Promenade.” Hot Springs National Park. https://www.nps.gov/places/grand-promenade.htm (accessed September 30, 2026).

“The Grand Promenade.” Treasure Isle RV Park. https://www.treasureislerv.com/the-grand-promenade (accessed September 30, 2026).

“The Grand Promenade at Hot Springs National Park.” National Park Service. https://npshistory.com/publications/hosp/bathhouses/grand-promenade.pdf (accessed September 30, 2026).

“Grand Promenade: #7 in Best Things To Do in Hot Springs, AR.” US News & World Report. https://travel.usnews.com/Hot_Springs_AR/Things_To_Do/Grand_Promenade_66838/ (accessed September 30, 2026).

“Grand Promenade National Recreation Trail, Hot Springs National Park.” National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/grand-promenade-national-recreation-trail.htm (accessed September 30, 2026).

Newman, Mike. “Hot Springs: Grand Promenade.” Arklahoma Hiker, November 27, 2015. https://arkokhiker.org/central-arkansas/hot-springs-np-grand-promenade/ (accessed September 30, 2026).

Nancy Hendricks
Garland County Historical Society