Sulphur Springs, Arkansas is a tiny town in the far northern corner of Benton County, tucked against the Missouri line — but a century ago it was a bustling mineral-springs resort, one of the most popular in the state. Today it’s a quiet community of fewer than 500 people whose main appeal is its story and a pretty spring-fed park. Here’s your honest guide to Sulphur Springs: its resort-era history, what remains, and how to get there.
This is a small town best enjoyed as a short detour rather than a day’s destination — a place to walk an old springs park, picnic along a creek, and soak up a slice of Ozark history on your way to or from Gravette, Bella Vista, or the Missouri border.
A quick history of Sulphur Springs
The town grew up around a cluster of natural mineral springs — sulphur, chalybeate, and even a rare lithium spring — whose waters were believed to have healing powers. A post office opened in 1878, the town was laid out in 1885, and it was incorporated in 1890. When the railroad that became the Kansas City Southern reached town in 1891, Sulphur Springs boomed as the end of the line: hotels, bathhouses, and sanitariums went up to serve visitors who came to “take the waters,” and for a time it ranked among Arkansas’s leading resort towns alongside Eureka Springs and Hot Springs. The grandest venture was the Kihlberg Hotel of 1909 — a five-story, roughly 100-room building of native limestone — though it never became the success its builders hoped for. Two major fires, in 1911 and 1912, destroyed much of the commercial district, and the resort era faded. In later decades the town hosted a short-lived John Brown University campus in the 1920s and, beginning in the 1930s, a linguistics school run by Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Things to do in Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs Park & Lake La Balladine
The heart of town today is its city park, set on the old spa grounds along spring-fed Butler Creek and centered on Lake La Balladine, a small lake formed by a creek dam. Several of the town’s original mineral springs still sit within the park. It’s an easy, free place to picnic, fish, walk, and let kids play, with pavilions, ball fields, courts, a playground, and both RV and tent camping. Swimming and fishing are part of the draw in the warmer months — a peaceful stop that quietly recalls the resort days.
Historic districts and old landmarks
History buffs can spot reminders of the boom years around town. The Sulphur Springs Old School Complex Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a handful of early homes and structures survive from the town’s heyday. There isn’t a formal museum or a big attraction here — the appeal is simply walking a small town that was once a grand resort and imagining what it looked like at its peak.
Local events
For its size, Sulphur Springs keeps a modest calendar. A seasonal farmers market runs on Saturday mornings in the warmer months, and the town takes part in Pickin’ Time on 59, a multi-town community yard-sale event stretched along Highway 59 in the fall. Check the city’s calendar for current dates before planning around any of them.
Where to eat, drink, and stay
Sulphur Springs is a very small town with little in the way of restaurants or lodging, so plan to eat and stay in the larger communities to the south — Gravette is the nearest, and Bentonville and Bella Vista are within easy reach with their full range of restaurants, breweries, and hotels. For where to eat and drink in the area, browse our sister sites NWA Food and NWA Brew, or dive into our full guides to Bentonville and Bella Vista.
Location & getting there
- Where: Far northern Benton County, along Highway 59 about a mile south of the Missouri state line.
- County: Benton County, Arkansas.
- Nearby cities: a short hop north of Gravette; roughly 30–35 minutes to Bentonville and Bella Vista.
- From the airport: about 40–45 minutes from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).
- Main draw: the spring-fed city park on Butler Creek and Lake La Balladine; free, with camping and fishing.
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Sulphur Springs FAQ
What is Sulphur Springs, Arkansas known for?
Sulphur Springs is known for its past as a popular mineral-springs resort town in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when visitors came to “take the waters” at its sulphur and lithium springs. Today it’s a small town whose main attraction is a spring-fed city park along Butler Creek and Lake La Balladine.
Can you still see the springs?
Yes. Several of the town’s original mineral springs remain within the city park on the old spa grounds, along with Lake La Balladine and Butler Creek. The resort hotels are largely gone, but the park preserves the setting that made the town a destination.
Is there much to do in Sulphur Springs?
It’s a very small town, so plan on a short visit rather than a full day. The city park offers picnicking, fishing, swimming, and camping, and there are historic districts and old landmarks to spot — but for restaurants, lodging, and bigger attractions you’ll want nearby Gravette, Bentonville, or Bella Vista.
How far is Sulphur Springs from Bentonville?
Sulphur Springs is roughly 30 to 35 minutes north of Bentonville by road via Highway 59, and about 40 to 45 minutes from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA). Gravette is the closest town, just a short drive south.
Explore more of Northwest Arkansas
Sulphur Springs is an easy add-on to a north Benton County drive. Keep exploring with our guides to Bentonville, Bella Vista, and the Northwest Arkansas outdoors, or head back to the WeKnowNWA home page to browse every town.