San Antonio Hot Springs - Hot Springs in New Mexico

A hot spring overflows with a roar.

It is one of the most water-rich undeveloped springs in the area.

A remote area worth visiting

Several wild springs are scattered throughout the mountains between Jemez, where the hot springs district is located, and Los Alamos, known for the Manhattan Project.

Of those, San Antonio Hot Springs is the most remote and at the same time the richest in hot water.

Take the winding NM 126 to the Forest Service Road 376.

Due to the dirt road with deep ruts, visiting with a vehicle with high road clearance is recommended.

Also, note that the road is closed during the winter season.

The terminus was a looped parking lot with some cars parked there.

It is a 1.5-mile round-trip hike from the parking lot to the hot springs.

Head north along the San Antonio River in the upstream direction.

It was an easy trail that crosses to the other side of the river at the wooden bridge and back a short distance.

Located in the national forest, camping is prohibited, day use only.

I have visited several times and am disappointed that vandalism has clearly increased in recent years.

I found a hut in the area where the hot water flows down from the hill.

It is not currently open to the public but apparently has a past as a summer home with hot springs.

The point where steam was rising in the middle of the steep slope was the destination.

Thank you, Franklin D. Roosevelt

The first appearance of this hot spring in the history books was in 1875.

At that time, geothermal water was gushing out of the cracks in the lava.

Located on the periphery of the Valles Caldera, this hot spring is unique to the region, where volcanic activity continued intermittently from 14 million to 40,000 years ago.

At the very top was the source sturdily reinforced with concrete.

Boiling water roaring out of three pipes.

The source well is said to have been constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

The CCC was part of the New Deal policies to overcome the Great Depression and was intended to combat unemployment and provide job training.

That's a frequent topic on this blog./st-kaiwa1]

Thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the gushing was perfect.

The hot water was clear, colorless, tasteless, and odorless at a water temp of 125 degrees F.

Due to the strong water flow, algae and debris were pushed away in the uppermost pool, keeping it relatively clean.

The pool was arranged in four staircases, with cooler temperatures the further down one went.

Clothing is optional.

I hope this historical legacy will be cherished.

Summary

Official website