Truth Or Consequences

Sierra County, New Mexico · Near Truth or Consequences
33.1350°N, 107.2540°W · 4,255 ft
113°F 66°F air · Good soaking weather 4,255 ft Roadside

The Truth or Consequences thermal point sits in town, ten feet from Grape Street, part of the Hot Springs Artesian Basin, in a town that used to be called Hot Springs, New Mexico. Hot, a little above 110. Very mineral heavy, with total dissolved solids over 2,000. The sample is from 1939. Access is unrecorded. The record ties the point to no particular bathhouse.

Location

Roadside in town, low desert around 4,200 feet. Hot and dry, almost snowless, with eight inches of rain in a year. Grape Street is the named road. No owner or unit is listed. The Wikipedia entry describes a spring system in the artesian basin around the town, and this point is one location within it.

Cool it or test it before soaking. Which bathhouse, if any, this corresponds to is not stated, so treat the coordinates as the artesian basin in general. Winter in Truth or Consequences is mild, and that is the rated season. No campground listed. The chemistry is from 1939.

History of Truth Or Consequences

Truth or Consequences was formerly known as Hot Springs, New Mexico. The springs here are part of the Hot Springs Artesian Basin system in Sierra County, per Wikipedia.

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 Truth Or Consequences.

Aerial view of the ground around Truth Or Consequences LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Truth Or Consequences
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.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
59 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
91 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 32% 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
48°
Feb
57°
Mar
64°
Apr
71°
May
83°
Jun
83°
Jul
82°
Aug
74°
Sep
64°
Oct
52°
Nov
43°
Dec
Annual Precip: 7.6 in Annual Snow: 3.8 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 43°F · Water 113°F · +70° contrast
December Air 43°F · Water 113°F · +70° contrast
February Air 48°F · Water 113°F · +65° contrast
January offers 40°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
66°F
Mostly Cloudy ENE 20.7 mph 88% Good soaking weather
Today 90° Low 67° Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 24% precip
Spring is +23° warmer
Wednesday 89° Low 64° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 56% precip
Spring is +24° warmer
Thursday 86° Low 64° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 44% precip
Spring is +27° warmer
Friday 86° Low 61° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 53% precip
Spring is +27° warmer
Saturday 85° Low 61° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 34% precip
Spring is +28° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 1939-02-09

The water at Truth Or Consequences contains 2420 mg/L total dissolved solids. It is notably rich in calcium (may support bone density and joint health), sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration), and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).

Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Calcium 150 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 16 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 678 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 81 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 1,200 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Iron 80 µg/L
Iron-rich springs may support circulation
Where to Stay

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Temperature
113°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 113°F (45°C)
Avg Air Temp 64°F
Above Ambient +49°F
Good soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road Grape Street
Distance to Road 10 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Truth Or Consequences?
Truth Or Consequences has a water temperature of 113°F (45°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Truth Or Consequences located?
Truth Or Consequences is located in Sierra County, New Mexico at 4,255 feet elevation, near Truth or Consequences. Coordinates: 33.1350°N, 107.2540°W.
How do I get to Truth Or Consequences?
Truth Or Consequences has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Grape Street (10 ft from the road).
What minerals are in the water at Truth Or Consequences?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. Total dissolved solids measure 2,420 mg/L.
Is it safe to soak at Truth Or Consequences?
With care. At 113°F Truth Or Consequences is hot enough to need short sessions, fifteen to twenty minutes, and plenty of water. Enter slowly and get out if you feel light-headed.
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia