Mimbres Hot Springs
Mimbres Hot Springs delivers genuinely hot water at 136 °F (USGS-confirmed 60.5 °C) at 5,720 feet elevation in Grant County. The temperature exceeds the local annual average by nearly 77 degrees. Alkaline pH of 8.3 and sodium-dominant chemistry (94 mg/L sodium, 65 mg/L sulfate) characterize the discharge. Roadside access places the spring about 80 meters from the nearest road.
The spring emerges in the foothills along the Mimbres River valley in southwestern New Mexico, where the Black Range descends toward lower desert basins. At 5,720 feet, the landscape transitions between pinyon-juniper woodland and Chihuahuan Desert grassland. The Mimbres River — famous among archaeologists for the Mimbres Mogollon culture — flows through the valley. Annual precipitation averages 11.8 inches with light snow. The terrain is rugged and sparsely populated, with the mining town of Bayard the nearest community.
Extreme caution is essential — at 136 °F, the water causes burns on contact. Do not enter the source pool. The spring is roadside-accessible near Bayard. Iron Creek Campground in the Black Range is about 18 km away via NM Highway 152, a winding mountain road. The area is hot and dry in summer. Silver City, roughly 15 miles west, provides full visitor services. Water chemistry shows very low magnesium (0.6 mg/L), indicating deep geothermal circulation.
The spring takes its name from the Mimbres River, itself derived from the Spanish word for willows that once lined its banks. The Mimbres Valley was home to the Mogollon people, who produced distinctive black-on-white pottery between roughly 1000 and 1130 CE. No federal land ownership is recorded for this spring, and documentation on its development or formal public use history is limited. The high temperature makes the discharge too hot for direct contact without cooling.
The water at Mimbres Hot Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 8.3).
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Iron Creek Campground is easily accessible for campers and provides good facilitiesLocated in the Black Range Mountains off NM State Highway 152, starting at San Lorenzo and ending in Hillsboro. This is a mountain road with beautiful scenic sites at every curve. Watch for rocks on the road.
Mimbres Hot Springs sits at 5,720 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 23% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Mimbres Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key.
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