Unnamed Thermal Spring

Socorro County, New Mexico · Near Socorro
33.8130°N, 106.9710°W · 5,411 ft
70°F 65°F air · Good soaking weather 5,411 ft Closed Hike PVT Camping nearby (17.3 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around the spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around the spring
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.

An unnamed thermal point on the Armendaris Ranch, private conservation land in Socorro County, seventeen miles from Socorro. The ranch is private and access is closed. Tepid, around seventy. No water chemistry on record and no USGS site number. The land designation reads private conservation, and the closed status leaves nothing to plan around, so this page exists for completeness.

Location

A hike of around 1.4 miles from the road, on private conservation land at around 5,400 feet. Desert, dry, light snow, mild average. The ranch is the owner of record, under a private conservation designation. The record has no road name. With the property closed, the spring is unlikely to get described any time soon.

Do not go. The ranch is private and closed to the public. Water Canyon Campground is about seventeen miles away, for anyone in the area for other reasons. The temperature would not reward trespass anyway. Winter is the only rated season.

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 this spring.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the west.
Highest ground nearby
75 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the west
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from north to south, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
111 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 62% 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
37°
Jan
43°
Feb
52°
Mar
60°
Apr
67°
May
79°
Jun
79°
Jul
77°
Aug
70°
Sep
60°
Oct
47°
Nov
37°
Dec
Annual Precip: 8.4 in Annual Snow: 6.5 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 37°F · Water 70°F · +33° contrast
December Air 37°F · Water 70°F · +33° contrast
February Air 43°F · Water 70°F · +27° contrast
January offers 42°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
65°F
Mostly Cloudy N 0.0 mph 88% Good soaking weather
Today 82° Low 61° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 30% precip
Wednesday 81° Low 59° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 67% precip
Thursday 80° Low 58° Chance Rain Showers 52% precip
Friday 81° Low 56° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 64% precip
Saturday 79° Low 56° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 39% precip
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Water Canyon Campground 17.3 mi away

This campground is located at an elevation of 6,800 feet in the Magdalena Mountains.

Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Mile-High Advisory 5,411 ft

this spring sits at 5,411 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 22% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
70°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 70°F (21°C)
Avg Air Temp 59°F
Above Ambient +11°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Closed
Road Access Hike
Distance to Road 1.4 mi
Land
Ownership Private
Agency PVT
Designation PCON
Unit Armendaris Ranch
Manager PVT
Protection 4 - No known protection
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at ?
has a water temperature of 70°F (21°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is located?
is located in Socorro County, New Mexico at 5,411 feet elevation, near Socorro. Coordinates: 33.8130°N, 106.9710°W.
How do I get to ?
has Hike road access (1.4 mi from the road).
Is free to visit?
has Closed access. It is managed by PVT.
Can I camp near ?
Yes, Water Canyon Campground is located nearby (17.3 miles away).