Unnamed Thermal Spring
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Soaking-warm water in the mid-nineties, within the Gila National Forest, 33 miles from Arenas Valley. This unnamed thermal point is Forest Service land with open access, and a hike of a bit over two miles from the nearest road. A 1962 sample found mild, slightly alkaline water with moderate minerals.
The spring lies near 5,750 feet in forested country, with modest snow most winters and a wetter year than the desert below. The record names no road, only the two-mile-plus hike. Forks Campground, around five miles away, is close enough to serve as a base for a day trip.
Come in the cold months. Allow time for the walk. Camping at Forks Campground is the obvious option. The water was sampled in July 1962: near-neutral, moderate dissolved solids, iron among the minerals. Old numbers. No fee recorded. Nothing on file describes a pool, so sitting in it may or may not be possible.
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 this spring.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 645 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 55% 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.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at This spring is slightly alkaline (pH 7.8) with 505 mg/L total dissolved solids. 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 5,747 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.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near This Spring
More Springs Around 94°F
Slightly Alkaline Springs (pH ~7.8)
Hike 1 waterfall near this spring
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near this spring, New Mexico.