Home to over 250 galleries, Santa Fe is known as a hotspot of creativity and the arts and serves as a fantastic central base in the state from which to explore New Mexico’s diverse landscape.
Beyond its natural attractions, rich history, and eclectic art scene, Santa Fe is also a destination to find peace and tranquility. It features several calming hot springs only a short drive away. These thermal pools offer soothing soaks as varied and diverse as the city’s colorful streets and offer serene settings for enjoying the region’s landscapes.
From full-service resorts with a myriad of amenities to humble primitive hot springs that promise quiet solitude, these are six hot springs near Santa Fe, NM, at which to escape the busy city streets and soothe weary bones. (Distance from Santa Fe city center in brackets).
Hot Springs Near Santa Fe, New Mexico
1. Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort (15 Miles)
Located just 15 miles from the Santa Fe city center, the Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort is one of the most celebrated hot springs in New Mexico.
It is a world-renowned resort that boasts an award-winning spa, the onsite Blue Heron Restaurant, luxury accommodation options, and a wide array of activities, including yoga classes, archery, puppy visits, and even local dance classes.
But of course, the greatest attraction featured within the resort complex is the eponymous spring network that provides visitors with several ways to immerse in the natural mineral waters. Scattered throughout the property are several thermal pools surrounded by cottonwood trees, each triple-filtered from the complex’s aquifer.
Also offered on the premises are private outdoor soaking tubs and even a float tank, both of which must be booked ahead of time. Alternatively, visitors are invited to swim in the junior Olympic-sized pool, which boasts slightly cooler waters averaging 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa (50 Miles)
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa is another luxury thermal pool complex and is located only an hour’s drive north of Santa Fe. Once a historical sacred site of the local native peoples, the hot springs continue to attract visitors from around the world and are distinguished as being the only spring on the planet fed by four different types of sulfur-free mineral water.
The complex consists of 12 mineral pools, each varying in composition and ranging in temperature from 80 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Other soaking opportunities available at the resort include the Kiva pool, filled with iron and arsenic minerals, and the Mud Pool, perfect for releasing toxins from the body.
Additional onsite amenities include a full-service spa that offers a wide array of treatments, luxury lodging and camping opportunities, a farm-to-table Artesian Restaurant, and several outdoor adventure packages that include biking and hiking through the property’s 1100-ace campus.
Boasting a full-service stay package, the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa is one the most glamorous and relaxing hot springs near Santa Fe, whether basing out of the city or staying directly on the property.
3. McCauley Warm Springs (63 Miles)
If a traditional primitive pool is more what you are looking for, then the McCauley Warm Springs is the best hot springs near Santa Fe for hosting your soak. Located about an hour and a half drive from the city is one of the most popular primitive pools in the state thanks to its crystal-clear warm waters.
While only considered a warm spring, both McCauley Spring’s pools just miss the temperatures required to be recognized as an official hot spring and instead range between 90- and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Nevertheless, these warm temperatures offer a comfortable soaking experience perfect for admiring the natural beauty of the surrounding region.
While most of the journey to the springs can be made by car, the final 1.7 miles must be taken on foot along the well-maintained hiking trail.
Overall, the McCauley Warm Springs offer a fantastic getaway isolated in a more preserved corner of the state and is the perfect thermal pool for adventure lovers and nature enthusiasts.
4. Montezuma Hot Springs (71 Miles)
Once frequented by local native American tribes, the Montezuma Hot Springs is another primitive thermal pool just over an hour from Santa Fe.
While a U.S. Army hospital, The Adobe Hotel, The Montezuma Hotel, and The Hot Springs Hotel once operated out of the region during the late 19th century, the site is primarily abandoned today and remains in a rustic state.
The hot springs feature three unique soaking areas, each with three man-made soaking pools with rock walls and cement lining. The soaking pools range from a comfortable 95 degrees Fahrenheit to a much more grueling 120 degrees.
While no lodging or amenities are provided within the complex, the Montezuma Hot Springs remains one of the most popular hot springs near Santa Fe, thanks to their preserved nature and free admission.
5. Jemez Hot Springs (72 Miles)
A commercial hot spring operating out of Jemez Springs about an hour and a half west of Santa Fe, the Jemez Hot Springs offer a luxurious day trip full of additional amenities and several thermal soaking opportunities.
The first bath house in the area was established in the 1800s, and the Jemez Hot Springs has attracted visitors from around the world ever since.
Today, the Jemez Hot Springs features four different pools fed from an ancient seawater spring deep underneath the nearby dormant volcano, Valles Caldera. From their source, the spring waters are an average of 142 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, they are cooled to a more bearable 98 to 105 degrees before being filtered into the pools for a comfortable soaking experience.
While the Jemez Hot Springs are a primarily day-use complex, the resort does offer three new accommodation options perfect for full-service retreats and private getaways.
6. Black Rock Hot Springs (83 Miles)
While about a two-hour drive from Santa Fe, the Black Rock Hot Springs is one of the most enchanting primitive thermal pools in New Mexico and is nestled along the shores of the idyllic Rio Grande. Despite its remote isolation, the hot springs are relatively easy to access and require only a 0.3-mile hike from the parking lot.
Black Rock Springs comprises two soaking pools, both protected by a rock wall with pebble bottoms. While one of the pools is warmer than the other, both vary in temperatures from 97 degrees to 101 degrees Fahrenheit. The actual temperature of the waters varies throughout the year depending on the water levels of the nearby river.
Thanks to the pristine beauty of the region and the easily accessible location of the site, the Black Rock Hot Springs are also some of the most famous thermal pools in the state. Visitors should expect to share their soothing soak with at least a few other guests.