Nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe is famous for its natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant art scene — but it’s also one of the best home bases for hot springs in the country. A quick note before you pack your suit: there aren’t actually any natural hot springs in Santa Fe proper. The good ones are a drive away — a Japanese-style onsen ten minutes from the Plaza, wild soaks tucked into the Jemez Mountains, historic mineral resorts to the north, and a few that are worth a longer haul. Here are my favorite hot springs near Santa Fe, ordered from closest to farthest.
SEE ALSO: 15 Best Things To Do In Santa Fe, New Mexico
Table of Contents
1. Ten Thousand Waves
About 10 minutes / 4 miles from downtown Santa Fe
For a Japanese-style soak, head to Ten Thousand Waves — a globally acclaimed onsen-inspired spa tucked into the mountains just minutes from the Plaza. One honest note: these aren’t natural hot springs. The water comes from a highly mineralized 900-foot well, kept at a blissful 104–106°F, with each private suite including a sauna, cold plunge, and changing room. There’s also bodywork, the excellent Izanami izakaya restaurant, and lodging if you want to make a weekend of it.
Cost: Private hot tub suites are $85; Reserved Community Soaking (which replaced the old communal and women’s tubs) is $62. Robe rental is $20, or bring your own. Reservations are required and book up fast — spots open 45 days out. Guests must be 13+.
Good to know: Clothing is optional in the private suites.
21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, Santa Fe, tenthousandwaves.com
2. Ojo Santa Fe
About 20 minutes south of downtown
I’ve been to Ojo Santa Fe several times and it’s one of my favorite things to do in the area. This serene spa resort sits on 77 acres of high-desert landscape with spring-fed thermal pools that have been flowing for thousands of years, plus the largest saltwater pool in Santa Fe. You can come just for the day with a soaking pass, or stay overnight in a casita.
Day pass: $45 Monday–Thursday // $65 Friday–Sunday and holidays.
Day soaking hours: 10am–10pm daily. It’s a 13-and-older resort.
242 Los Pinos Rd, Santa Fe, ojosparesorts.com/ojo-santa-fe
3. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa
About 1 hour north of Santa Fe
One of my favorite soaks in New Mexico — it actually started snowing while we were in the pools. Established in 1868, Ojo Caliente is one of the oldest health resorts in the country, and one of the only springs on Earth with four different minerals: lithia, iron, soda, and arsenic, all in naturally sulfur-free water. There are a dozen communal pools at varying temperatures, plus spa treatments, a farm-to-table restaurant, and hiking trails (don’t miss the 1-mile loop up to the Posi pueblo ruins behind the resort).
Day soaking pass: $45/person Monday–Thursday, $65/person Friday–Sunday and holidays (no reservations required). Note: the Arsenic Pool is temporarily closed for renovations, with the rest open.
50 Los Banos Dr, Ojo Caliente, ojosparesorts.com/ojo-caliente
SEE ALSO: 27 Top Things To Do In New Mexico
4. Jemez Hot Springs
About 1.5 hours west of Santa Fe
For a more intimate, riverside soak, head to Jemez Hot Springs (formerly Giggling Springs) in the village of Jemez Springs. It’s a small, beautifully landscaped collection of pools right alongside the Jemez River, fed by the natural geothermal waters the area has been known for since the 1800s.
Cost: $25 for a 1-hour soak, $50 for 2 hours. Swimsuits required.
Koko Tip: Just up the road, the village-owned Jemez Springs Bath House (a state historic site) offers private soaks in eight cement-tub rooms plus massages — a good backup if Jemez Hot Springs is booked.
040 Abousleman Loop, Jemez Springs
5. Spence Hot Springs
About 1 hour west of Santa Fe, in the Jemez Mountains
Spence is the classic free, wild soak — a series of natural rock pools on the hillside above the East Fork of the Jemez River, with views down the canyon toward Battleship Rock. It’s a local favorite for good reason.
The hike: Park in the lot off NM-4 and take the short trail up — it’s roughly a half-mile, about 20 minutes, with a little climb at the end. Wear real shoes (it can be slick) and you can pack sandals for the pools.
Fee: Free. Swimsuits are expected these days, and there are no facilities, so pack out everything you bring.
NM-4, Jemez Springs
6. McCauley Warm Springs
About 1 hour west of Santa Fe, in the Jemez Mountains
Another free Jemez soak — though “warm” is the operative word here. McCauley’s spring-fed pools sit around body temperature (think low-to-mid 80s°F), so it’s less a hot soak and more a dreamy, algae-lined natural pool surrounded by forest. Little fish nibble at your feet, which is either delightful or ticklish depending on your tolerance.
The hike: This one’s a real walk — roughly a 3.8-mile round trip (often started near Battleship Rock or down from Jemez Falls), so bring water and good shoes.
Fee: Free.
Santa Fe National Forest, Jemez Mountains
7. San Antonio Hot Springs
About 1 hour 40 minutes from Santa Fe, in the Jemez
For a true backcountry soak, make the trek to San Antonio Hot Springs — a set of terraced stone pools high in the Jemez, fed by a natural spring, with cooling temperatures as the water cascades from pool to pool and a gorgeous mountain view.
Getting there: Access is via Forest Service Road 376, a rough dirt road that requires high clearance — and it’s closed in winter, when the trip becomes a roughly 5-mile round-trip hike. Check road and snow conditions before you go.
Fee: Free. This one is clothing-optional, so go knowing that.
Forest Service Road 376, Jemez Springs
8. Montezuma Hot Springs
About 1 hour east of Santa Fe, near Las Vegas, NM
Tucked beside the historic Montezuma Castle (the old Montezuma Hotel) near Las Vegas, New Mexico, these free outdoor cement pools have a wonderful history — they were sacred to the area’s Indigenous tribes, and legend has it Billy the Kid even soaked here. Today the property belongs to the United World College, which maintains the pools and allows free public access.
The hike: Easy — the pools are right off the road in a pretty canyon along the Gallinas River.
Fee: Free. Note the posted quiet hours (the pools close overnight), and swimsuits are expected.
NM-65, Montezuma, NM
SEE ALSO: 3-Day Santa Fe Itinerary
9. Riverbend Hot Springs
About 3 hours south of Santa Fe, in Truth or Consequences — this one’s a road trip
Worth flagging up front: Riverbend is a haul — about a 3-hour drive south to the quirky desert town of Truth or Consequences. But if you’re already exploring southern New Mexico, it’s the crown jewel down there: the only hot springs resort in the state right on the bank of the Rio Grande, with terraced pools (public and private) looking out over the river and Turtleback Mountain. The mineral water runs up to 108°F, and you can soak by day or book a riverside suite and stay over.
Cost: Day soaks start around $30 for a weekday walk-in hour, with timed slots — reserve online, especially on weekends. Common pools are 12+.
Hours: Open daily, 8am–11pm.
100 Austin St, Truth or Consequences, riverbendhotsprings.com
What to bring to the hot springs
- Bathing suit (clothing is optional at a few spots — noted above)
- Towel and a robe
- Water bottle — you’ll dehydrate fast in the heat and altitude
- Sandals or flip-flops for the wild soaks
- Snacks, sunscreen, and warm layers if you’re going in cooler months
A quick safety note: at the natural springs, watch your footing on wet rock, follow all posted rules, never soak after drinking, and check for flash-flood warnings before heading into the canyons.
Whether you want a 10-minute drive to a private onsen or a full day chasing wild pools through the Jemez, the hot springs near Santa Fe deliver. Soak, breathe, repeat.
