# Rainbow Spring, New Mexico

Rainbow Spring in New Mexico. 71°F (22°C). Roadside · Public Land. McKinley County.

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

## Can you soak at Rainbow Spring?

The water leaves the ground at 71°F, about as warm as a heated pool. You can drive right up to it. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 71°F (22°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 7.3 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 6,315 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 247 ft from the nearest road (Ojo Caliente Road) |
| Land | Zuni Reservation, TRIB |
| County | McKinley County |
| Nearest town | Zuni Pueblo |
| Coordinates | 34.91200, -108.95100 |
| Best months to soak | January, December, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |

## About Rainbow Spring

Rainbow Spring is on the Zuni Reservation in McKinley County, twelve miles from Zuni Pueblo, off Ojo Caliente Road. Tepid, low seventies. Tribal land, access unknown. It was sampled in March 2023, which is recent for a thermal record, and the water came back near neutral with the common suite: calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride.

Ojo Caliente Road runs about 250 feet away, at 6,300 feet with a fair amount of winter snow, eighteen inches or so, in a dry year. The Zuni tribe owns the land. No one has written up what the outlet looks like. The climate average is cool, and the road is the one named feature near it.

Ask the Zuni tribe about access; tribal land means their rules. The winter months are the rated ones; snow may affect the road. No campground listed. The temperature is too low for a soak, so the reason to care is the recent sample, which is unusual.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 2023-03-07 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.3 |
| Calcium | 140 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 41 mg/L |
| Sodium | 54 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 310 mg/L |
| Chloride | 32 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Gallup](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/new-mexico/gallup), 44 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in New Mexico](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico)
- [Salado Springs, AZ](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/arizona/salado-springs): 72°F source, pH 7.9, Short Walk, near Saint Johns, Apache County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/unnamed-spring-catron-county): 72°F source, Roadside, near Reserve, Catron County
- [Aragon Springs, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/aragon-springs): 70°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 160 mg/L, Short Walk, near Reserve, Catron County
- [(Upper) Frisco Hot Spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/upper-frisco-hot-spring): 98°F source, pH 9.7, Short Walk, near Reserve, Catron County
- [Frieborn Canyon Spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/frieborn-canyon-spring): 92°F source, Hike, near Reserve, Catron County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NM](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/new-mexico/unnamed-spring-cibola-county-3): 68°F source, Short Walk, near Laguna, Cibola County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Rainbow Spring?**
Rainbow Spring has a water temperature of 71°F (22°C). This is a warm thermal spring.

**Where is Rainbow Spring located?**
Rainbow Spring is located in McKinley County, New Mexico at 6,315 feet elevation, near Zuni Pueblo. Coordinates: 34.9120°N, 108.9510°W.

**How do I get to Rainbow Spring?**
Rainbow Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Ojo Caliente Road (247 ft from the road).

**Is Rainbow Spring free to visit?**
Rainbow Spring has Unknown access. It is managed by DESG.

**What minerals are in the water at Rainbow Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 7.3 (slightly alkaline).

## Sources

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