# Clear Water Spring, New Mexico

Clear Water Spring in New Mexico. 69°F (21°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Bernalillo County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/clear-water-spring
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Clear Water Spring?

No. Access to Clear Water Spring is closed.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 69°F (21°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Total dissolved solids | 1,990 mg/L |
| Elevation | 5,860 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 0.2 mi from the nearest road |
| Land | Kirtland Air Force Base, Department of Defense |
| County | Bernalillo County |
| Nearest town | Carnuel |
| Coordinates | 34.99500, -106.45400 |
| Best months to soak | January, December, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Cedro Peak Camping Sites - Robin and Jay, 6.5 mi |

## About Clear Water Spring

On Kirtland Air Force Base in Bernalillo County, a few miles from Carnuel on the east side of Albuquerque, Clear Water Spring is a USGS thermal record and little else. The water is barely warm, well short of anything you could soak in. The base is military land and access is listed as closed. A 1945 sample found salty, mineral-heavy water carrying iron, sulfate, calcium, magnesium and chloride.

Foothill ground at the edge of the base, roughly a fifth of a mile off the nearest road, at close to 6,000 feet. The climate is dry, with a light dusting of snow most winters and hot summers. Military designation, no public route in. Nobody has described the spring itself, and with the base closed to the public nobody is likely to.

Skip this one. Access is closed, and the temperature would disappoint anyway. The record is useful mainly to people studying thermal water around Albuquerque, and even then the chemistry is eighty years old. Cedro Peak's Robin and Jay camping sites are about six and a half miles away for anyone already camping nearby. The climate figures favor winter.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1945-07-25 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total dissolved solids | 1,990 mg/L |
| Calcium | 279 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 65 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 125 mg/L |
| Chloride | 492 mg/L |
| Iron | 60 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Albuquerque](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/new-mexico/albuquerque), 13 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in New Mexico](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico)
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/unnamed-spring-sandoval-county): 68°F source, pH 7.4, Roadside, near Placitas, Sandoval County
- [El Ojo Escondido, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/el-ojo-escondido): 73°F source, TDS 239 mg/L, Short Walk, near Laguna, Cibola County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/unnamed-spring-cibola-county-2): 73°F source, pH 7.3, Short Walk, near Laguna, Cibola County
- [Laguna Pueblo Springs, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/laguna-pueblo-springs): 80°F source, pH 7.7, Roadside, near Laguna, Cibola County
- [Spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/spring-cibola-county): 76°F source, pH 8.3, Short Walk, near Laguna, Cibola County
- [Laguna Pueblo Seeps, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/laguna-pueblo-seeps): 82°F source, Short Walk, near Los Chavez, Valencia County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Clear Water Spring?**
Clear Water Spring has a water temperature of 69°F (21°C). This is a warm thermal spring.

**Where is Clear Water Spring located?**
Clear Water Spring is located in Bernalillo County, New Mexico at 5,860 feet elevation, near Carnuel. Coordinates: 34.9950°N, 106.4540°W.

**How do I get to Clear Water Spring?**
Clear Water Spring has Short Walk road access (0.2 mi from the road).

**Is Clear Water Spring free to visit?**
Clear Water Spring has Closed access. It is managed by DESG.

**Can I camp near Clear Water Spring?**
Yes, Cedro Peak Camping Sites   Robin And Jay is located nearby (6.5 miles away). Contact recreation.gov or 877-444-6777.

**What minerals are in the water at Clear Water Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. Total dissolved solids measure 1,990 mg/L.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals