Unnamed Thermal Spring
Scalding water. That is the first thing to know about this unnamed thermal point in the Gila National Forest, Grant County, thirty miles from Arenas Valley. The reading on file is well above the temperature that burns skin on contact. The land is Forest Service, access open, a short walk of a third of a mile from the nearest road, and Forks Campground is close by.
About 5,700 feet, forested, with real snow in winter and a fairly wet year by regional standards. The road carries no name on file. Forks Campground sits around two and a half miles off. Nothing describes the source itself, a vent or a pool or a seep, and nothing says how the water cools once it leaves the ground.
Do not get in. Water this hot will scald in seconds, and there is no record of a cooled pool. Watch any dog or small child closely near it. The cold months are when to come. Camp at Forks. A 1967 sample came back near neutral with sodium and sulfate present. No fee recorded.
The water at This spring is slightly alkaline (pH 7.9). It is notably rich in chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).
This campground features beautiful cliffs along the West Fork of the Gila River.This campground is a great place to stop on the way to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (15 miles north). Overnight camping is allowed in the upper portion of Forks; however, the lower portion of the Forks Recreation Site along the West Fork of the Gila River is day use only.
this spring sits at 5,737 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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Slightly Alkaline Springs (pH ~7.9)
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