Can I fly a drone at Hot Springs National Park?
America's smallest national park (5,500 acres) and one of its most urban — bathhouse row in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, plus surrounding Ouachita Mountain forest. NPS drone ban applies.
Why drone pilots want to shoot here
Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The forested ridges around the city.
Where you CAN fly nearby
Adjacent USFS, BLM, and state-managed land that typically permits drone use with appropriate rules.
Ouachita National Forest (AR)
Adjacent USFS land. Drones allowed in non-Wilderness areas. Similar mountain-forest terrain.
Lake Catherine State Park (with permit, AR)
AR State Parks drone permit. Lake views and forest.
Adjacent Class G airspace in Garland County
Outside park boundary. Drone-friendly with general rules.
FAQ — Hot Springs National Park
Can I fly drones in Hot Springs National Park?
No. Even though the park overlaps with downtown Hot Springs, drone takeoff/landing on park property is banned.
What about Bathhouse Row?
Bathhouse Row is on park property. Drone ban applies.
Can I shoot the park from outside?
Yes — surrounding non-park areas of Hot Springs city and Garland County are typically Class G and permit drones with general rules.
Other national parks
Park boundaries can be irregular. Verify the boundary of any alternative location before flying — adjacent USFS / BLM Wilderness areas have their own drone ban under different statute. Altoa is not the FAA or NPS.