The earliest visitors who came to thehot springs to “take the bathe” and seek health from its mysterious waters may have been a group of Indians on the Archaic level, as evidence of their occupation is scattered throughout the State with pottery fragments, skeletons, and other artifacts in abundance. The hot springs were recognized as a neutral territory by the various hostile tribes in order to receive the gifts of the great Manitou. Another incentive for visiting the hot springs was the deposits of novaculite. Novaculite, dense rock in white, pearl, gray, yellow, and red found at the hot springs could be readily shaped into weapons and domestic tools.  Quapaw in the 18th century, Cherokee and Choctaw in the 19th century.

In 1804, Dr. George Hunter and William Dunbar were the first government officials to visit the hot springs. Their expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to survey the newly acquired territory and make scientific observations. Along with Dunbar and Hunter, the party consisted of a sergeant and 12 enlisted men from the garrison at New Orleans. The party traveled 25 days before reaching the mouth of Gulpha Creek. Explorer William Dunbar reports the name "Fourche á Calfat" in the journal of his visit in 1804. Calfat eventually became Gulpha. Thus, the name Gulpha Creek is a corruption of the French name for the stream.

By 1921, many visitors took advantage of the Gulpha Gorge campground, and as Superintendent Parks noted, “the camp grounds, in the vicinity of the Gorge, took care of quite a number of cars and campers.  The place is an ideal site for campers, and I have seen as many as 80 cars there at one time.” Increased visitation during the year put a strain on the Gulpha Gorge Campground.  It filled to capacity during the warm season periods especially with its popular swimming pool area.  Influxes of automobile trailer houses and house cars made the campground extra crowded and demonstrated to NPS the need to extend the camp further. In 1924, the city donated sixteen acres adjacent to Hot Springs National Park in the Gorge area of Gulpha Creek for use as a public auto campground.

Today, the Gulpha Gorge campgrounds offer primitive campsites and campsites with electric hookups. Each campsite has a picnic table, pedestal grill, water nearby, and modern restrooms. The campsite is close to Goat Rock Trail, Dead Chief Trail, Hot Springs Mtn. Trail, and Observation Tower.

Credits and Sources:

Cockrell, Ron. “The Hot Springs of Arkansas—America’s First National Park: Administrative History of Hot Springs National Park.” National Park Service. Accessed June 15, 2015.

Shugart, Sharon. “The Hot Springs of Arkansas Through The Years: A Chronology Of Events -Excerpts-.” Department of the Interior, 2004. http://www.nps.gov/hosp/learn/historyculture/upload/chronology.web.pdf. (accessed June 15, 2015).

“Hot Springs National Park Campground Orientation Map.” National Park Service, http://www.nps.gov/hosp/planyourvisit/upload/GulphaGorgeCampgroundMap.pdf (accessed June 18, 2015).

“Gulpha Gorge Campground.” National Park Service, http://www.nps.gov/hosp/planyourvisit/campground.htm (accessed June 18, 2015).

“Gulpha Gorge Campground.” Pamphlet. National Park Service.