Souse Springs

Dona Ana County, New Mexico · Near Hatch
32.6060°N, 107.1900°W · 4,060 ft
88°F 72°F air · Good soaking weather 4,060 ft Roadside
Aerial view of the ground around Souse Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Souse Springs
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Souse Springs, a bit over four miles from Hatch in Dona Ana County, is warm enough to notice and too cool to soak in. The water is bath-cool, short of anything you would call a soak, and the 1965 sample shows it running on the alkaline side with iron in the mix. The record says nothing about who owns it or whether visitors are welcome. There is no campground on file and no photo.

Location

Roadside, seventy-five feet or so from a road the record leaves nameless, at low desert elevation. Almost no snow falls in a typical year, rain is scarce, and the average temperature sits mild. No land unit appears, so the spring could be on private ground for all the record says.

December is flagged, along with the two months that follow, and the climate makes that an easy call here, with nothing to block the road. The chemistry is sixty years old. Since the owner and the visiting rules are unrecorded, stop and ask in Hatch before walking onto anything. No camp is listed for this one.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Souse Springs.

Setting
Valley floor
Gentle slopes rise on both sides.
Highest ground nearby
118 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
80 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 15% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
43°
Jan
49°
Feb
57°
Mar
65°
Apr
71°
May
83°
Jun
83°
Jul
82°
Aug
75°
Sep
65°
Oct
53°
Nov
43°
Dec
Annual Precip: 9.0 in Annual Snow: 3.8 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 43°F · Water 88°F · +45° contrast
December Air 43°F · Water 88°F · +45° contrast
February Air 49°F · Water 88°F · +40° contrast
January offers 40°F more contrast than June
Current Conditions
72°F
Clear WNW 12.1 mph 61% Good soaking weather
Today 91° Low 68° Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 15% precip
Wednesday 89° Low 65° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 46% precip
Thursday 85° Low 65° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 32% precip
Spring is +3° warmer
Friday 86° Low 63° Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 37% precip
Spring is +2° warmer
Saturday 84° Low 63° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 25% precip
Spring is +4° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 1965-05-25

The water at Souse Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 8.5).

pH 8.5 Slightly Alkaline
pH influences mineral absorption through skin
Calcium 32 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 8 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sulfate 26 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 15 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Iron 30 µg/L
Iron-rich springs may support circulation
Where to Stay

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Temperature
88°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 88°F (31°C)
Avg Air Temp 64°F
Above Ambient +24°F
Warm air, warm water September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 76 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Souse Springs?
Souse Springs has a water temperature of 88°F (31°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Souse Springs located?
Souse Springs is located in Dona Ana County, New Mexico at 4,060 feet elevation, near Hatch. Coordinates: 32.6060°N, 107.1900°W.
How do I get to Souse Springs?
Souse Springs has Roadside road access (76 ft from the road).
What minerals are in the water at Souse Springs?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 8.5 (slightly alkaline).
Sources: USGS NWIS