Congress established Hot Springs Reservation on April 20, 1832 to protect hot springs flowing from the southwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain. This makes it the oldest park currently in the National Park System, 40 years older than Yellowstone National Park. People have used the hot spring water in therapeutic baths for more than two hundred years to treat rheumatism as other ailments. We will be learning about the geology that produces these hot springs.

Geology:

In an arc from the northwest around to the east, outcroppings of Bigfork Chert and Arkansas Novaculite absorb rainfall. The pores and fractures in the rocks conduct the water deep into the Earth. As the water percolates downward, the increasingly warmer rock heats it, and filters out the impurities. In the process the water dissolves minerals in the rocks. Eventually the water meets the faults and joints in the Hot Springs Sandstone leading up to the lower west side of Hot Springs Mountain where it flows to the surface.

We will first take a tour offered by the staff of Hot Springs National park. The tour will contain information about the geology of the area.

Some questions that you might want to ask:

1. How are the Hot Springs here geologically different then those in other areas of the country?

2. What makes the water so special here?

We will also identify the following minerals and rocks:
 

1. Chert

2. Novaculite

3. Shale

4. Sandstone

Also for those that are paying close attention may be able to identify some faults and joints.
 

If you would like to learn more about the geology and others attractions in Hot Springs chlick on the following web sites.

Hot Springs National Park - This site gives you information about the park and many of the attraction that are located there.

Hot Springs - This site offers a very easy to read geology of the area, along with the history of the development of the bath houses in the area.

Needed supplies - Day pack, water, lunch, and notebook

When we have finished the science part of the tour take time to enjoy the bath houses.

In the morning we will continue our tour of Arkansas by leaving Hot Springs on US 70 south to Hwy 27 until you reach Murfreesboro go south on Hwy 301. Located here is Crater of Diamonds State Park.