See Stunning Scenic Mountain Views With New Hot Springs Bypass

Arkansas is home to several scenic drives in the state and now you can add one more to the natural state, the new Hot Springs Bypass.

The new $75 million Hot Springs Bypass opened on Monday, September 18, and runs 5.8 miles connecting Highway 70 East to scenic Highway 7 North. The new portion of the highway has been designated as Highway 5, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The newly constructed highway was built to alleviate traffic congestion from Highway 7 and help reduce delays.

The new stretch of highway has been designated as a scenic highway by the Arkansas State Legislature because of its beautiful terrain, and steep, tree-lined woodlands with stunning views of this part of Arkansas in the Ouachita Mountains.

According to ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor, this new bypass will significantly reduce the travel time to and from Hot Springs Village, Fountain Lake, and other areas north of Hot Springs. The population continues to grow in Garland County, and building a new road right in the middle of the Ouachita Mountains can be very challenging but ARDOT was able to do it in a joint effort with McGeorge Contracting Company. This new highway will serve Arkansans in this part of the state for years to come and hopefully bring in new tourism dollars to the Hot Springs resort area.

ARDOT plans to host a ribbon-cutting celebration on Tuesday, October 24. Details of the event will be announced soon.

So, the next time you are in Hot Springs you may want to head north of town to take a scenic drive on this beautiful new highway, especially this fall when the leaves are changing color.

For the latest updates and more visit the ARDOT Facebook page or website.