Manby Hot Springs
Manby Hot Springs discharges 100 °F water into three rock-walled pools with sandy bottoms on BLM land at 6,610 feet in the Rio Grande gorge. Also called Stagecoach Hot Springs, the source runs about 51 degrees above the local annual air temperature. A short walk of roughly 540 meters from Calle Feliberto Road is required. The water is near-neutral at pH 7.2 with moderate mineralization (514 mg/L TDS).
The springs sit deep in the Rio Grande gorge in Taos County, where the river has carved a basalt-walled canyon through the volcanic plateau. At 6,610 feet, the surrounding mesa supports high-desert scrub — sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and scattered juniper — while cottonwoods line the river corridor below. The gorge walls rise steeply on either side. Annual precipitation averages just 13 inches, though 34 inches of snow accumulate in winter. The nearest settlement is Arroyo Seco, a small community north of Taos.
Visit in spring through fall; the gorge trail can be icy and treacherous in winter months. Bring sun protection — shade is scarce on the descent. The 540-meter trail drops steeply into the gorge, so trekking poles help on the return climb. No facilities exist at the springs. Las Petacas Campground sits about 23 km away but has no reservable sites. Water temperature is comfortable for direct soaking without mixing.
The springs take their alternate name, Stagecoach Hot Springs, from a historical stage route that once passed through the area. Ruins of an old bathhouse remain near the pools, indicating earlier commercial or communal bathing use. The name Manby refers to Arthur Manby, a controversial English-born land speculator active in Taos County in the early 1900s. The BLM currently manages the site as open public land under the Taos Field Office.
The water at Manby Hot Springs is neutral (pH 7.2) with 514 mg/L total dissolved solids.
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Set in a beautiful canyon quite close to Taos, there is good access to Rio Fernando de Taos for fishing.
Manby Hot Springs sits at 6,610 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 26% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Manby Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
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