Hot Springs National Park
Upper Dogwood Trail
FamiliesDog OwnersEasy Strolls
0 mi Distance
45 min Estimated Time
Out & Back Trail Type
What to Expect
Upper Dogwood is the kind of trail that lets you forget you're exercising. The path winds through a hardwood canopy — oaks, hickories, and the dogwoods that give it its name — with gentle undulations that barely register in your legs. The grade hovers around five percent, which means you'll gain maybe 250 feet of elevation over the full mile without ever feeling like you're climbing. The forest floor is the star here: carpeted in wildflowers during spring, crunchy with leaves in autumn, and quietly green through summer's humidity. Sections of the trail run along the mid-slope of Hot Springs Mountain, offering filtered views through the trees. This is a connector trail at heart — pair it with Lower Dogwood for an easy loop or tack on Goat Rock for something with a bit more bite. Perfect for anyone who wants forest time without a workout.
Trail Details
Estimated Time 45 min
Trail Type Out & Back
Pets Dogs allowed (leash required)
Season Year-round
Trailhead Upper Dogwood Trail
Pro Tips
Trail Tip
Link Upper Dogwood with the Goat Rock Trail for a roughly three-mile loop that adds real elevation change and rocky scrambling — it turns a casual stroll into a proper morning hike.
Trail Tip
Start from the Gulpha Gorge Campground trailhead to avoid the uphill approach from Bathhouse Row; you'll hit the trail already at elevation and can work your way down.
Trail Tip
Visit in mid-April when the dogwood trees are blooming — the white and pink blossoms against the dark hardwood trunks make this otherwise modest trail genuinely photogenic.
Photos
NPS Photo/Mitch Smith
