Capote Springs

Presidio County, Texas · Near Marfa
30.2100°N, 104.5620°W · 3,763 ft
99°F 72°F air · Good soaking weather 3,763 ft Hike

Capote Springs is a warm spring in Presidio County, Texas, about 33 miles from Marfa. The recorded temperature comes in a hair under a hundred, right where most people like a soak. There is no word on who owns it or who may visit, so do not take it for granted that you can walk up. Getting there means a hike of about a mile from the nearest road.

Location
62 miles from Sierra Blanca, TX

A hike, by the record, a bit over a mile from an unnamed road. The elevation is just under 3,800 feet, which is desert upland. This is dry country: about nine inches of precipitation a year and snow that barely registers. No land manager and no campground are on file.

The cooler months rate best on the record, December through February, and in a desert climate that makes sense. Access is not recorded. Check ownership before setting out, since the ground may be private. No water chemistry is filed. There is a photo on record.

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 Capote Springs.

Aerial view of the ground around Capote Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Capote 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.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
308 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
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
68 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 4% 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
50°
Jan
57°
Feb
65°
Mar
72°
Apr
78°
May
86°
Jun
85°
Jul
84°
Aug
78°
Sep
71°
Oct
59°
Nov
51°
Dec
Annual Precip: 9.0 in Annual Snow: 1.5 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 50°F · Water 99°F · +49° contrast
December Air 51°F · Water 99°F · +48° contrast
February Air 57°F · Water 99°F · +43° contrast
January offers 36°F more contrast than June
Current Conditions
72°F
Mostly Cloudy S 24.9 mph 69% Good soaking weather
Today 93° Low 71° Mostly Sunny then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms 33% precip
Spring is +6° warmer
Wednesday 93° Low 70° Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms 16% precip
Spring is +6° warmer
Thursday 92° Low 70° Mostly Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +7° warmer
Friday 92° Low 69° Mostly Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +7° warmer
Saturday 90° Low 68° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 40% precip
Spring is +9° warmer
Where to Stay

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Temperature
99°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 99°F (37°C)
Avg Air Temp 70°F
Above Ambient +29°F
Warm air, warm water September
Access
Road Access Hike
Distance to Road 1.1 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Capote Springs?
Capote Springs has a water temperature of 99°F (37°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Capote Springs located?
Capote Springs is located in Presidio County, Texas at 3,763 feet elevation, near Marfa. Coordinates: 30.2100°N, 104.5620°W.
How do I get to Capote Springs?
Capote Springs has Hike road access (1.1 mi from the road).
Sources: USGS NWIS