Montezuma Hot Springs

What to expect

Montezuma Hot Springs is a cluster of small, developed soaking pools on the side of NM 65 in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, about 5 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The pools sit across from the Gallinas River, just below Montezuma Castle, the huge former railroad resort hotel that is now part of the United World College-USA campus. The castle’s towers rise above the trees behind you as you soak.

There are more than 20 thermal springs along this stretch of hillside, and the water reaches about 138°F59°C where it comes out. It is piped and channelled into three groups of concrete pools with sand and gravel bottoms:

• The Lobster Pot is the hottest, built into the hillside. Expect around 120°F49°C. It is a quick dip at best, and children should stay out.
• The Cube sits near the ruins of the old bathhouse.
• The Toaster is a pair of concrete tubs that are too hot for most people. A newer soaking tub below them runs cooler, with stairs down toward the river.

Across all the pools, temperatures run from about 94°F to 120°F34°C to 49°C, so most people move around until they find one that suits them. Fresh spring water flows through continuously. The water is a sodium chloride and bicarbonate type with very high fluoride, so do not drink it.

It is a community place more than a scenic one. You soak beside a road, often with locals, college students and travelers off I-25. Recent donations have paid for changing rooms, fencing and gates, pavers around the pools and steps with handrails. Do not count on restrooms or drinking water, so bring a towel, water and sandals.

History

People used these springs long before the railroad arrived. After the US took New Mexico in 1846, the Army built an adobe hospital at the springs, which became a hotel in 1862. In 1880 the Santa Fe Railroad formed the Las Vegas Hot Springs Company and ran a spur line to the springs. Its grand Montezuma Hotel burned in 1884 and again within months of reopening, and was rebuilt a third time in 1886. The springs were marketed for tuberculosis treatment, and Doc Holliday stayed here in 1879. The castle later became the home of the Armand Hammer United World College.

In 2018 the college considered closing the springs after years of partying, trash, noise and injuries. Local residents formed the Friends of the Montezuma Hot Springs in 2019 to keep them open. The springs closed in March 2020 for COVID-19 and reopened on Oct 23, 2021, when the Friends group took over under a lease with the college. The group handles the liability insurance, cleaning and patrols.

Getting there

From Albuquerque or Santa Fe, take I-25 north to Las Vegas. Leave at exit 343, the first Las Vegas exit, turn left at the end of the ramp, go half a mile and turn left onto New Mexico Avenue. Drive 1.9 miles to the first traffic light and turn left onto Hot Springs Boulevard, which becomes NM 65. The springs are about 5 miles up this road, just past Montezuma Castle, on the roadside.

Park off the pavement near the pools. The road is paved all the way. If you are visiting the college itself, continue past the springs and turn right onto Armand Hammer Drive, then check in at the Welcome Center.

When to go

The springs are open year-round. Winter is when they make the most sense: cold, clear air, steam off the pools and the hottest water at its most welcome. Summer afternoons can be hot for pools this warm, so go early.

Weekends and evenings draw the biggest crowds, and the pools are small. A weekday morning soon after 6 a.m. is the quietest time.

On the first Saturday of each month, starting at 9 a.m., the Friends group holds a volunteer cleanup. Pools can be drained or busy with crews then, but you are welcome to help.

Rules and etiquette

• Hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. After closing you are trespassing on private college land.
• No nudity. Swimsuits are required.
• No alcohol, drugs or loud noise.
• No dogs or other pets.
• Free entry. Donations keep the pools open. Look for the cash boxes or the QR code posted at the springs.
• Follow posted rules. More rules are signed on site, and Community Watch volunteers are there from 6 to 10 p.m. each night.
• No soap in the pools, and pack out all trash.
• Share the space. Keep your stay short in the smaller pools when people are waiting.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping or overnight parking at the springs.

• Las Vegas, about 5 miles away, has motels and inns, including the historic Plaza Hotel on the Old Town plaza, plus restaurants and fuel.
• Santa Fe is about an hour southwest on I-25 if you want a bigger base.
• Gallinas Canyon campgrounds. NM 65 continues up into the Santa Fe National Forest, but El Porvenir and EV Long campgrounds along FR 261 are closed under the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon post-fire order (03-10-05-26-05, May 4, 2026 to Dec 31, 2027). Do not plan on camping there.

Safety notes

• Very hot water. The Lobster Pot and the Toaster are hot enough to scald. Test with a hand, keep soaks short, and keep children out of the hottest pools.
• Do not drink the water. It is high in fluoride and other minerals.
• Footing. Concrete edges and steps get slick. Wear sandals.
• Road traffic. The pools are beside NM 65. Watch for cars when crossing and parking.
• Altitude. The springs are at about 6,800 feet. Drink plenty of water, and get out if you feel lightheaded.
• Keep your head above water in any hot spring.

Nearby stops worth adding

Las Vegas has a well-preserved Old Town plaza and historic downtown that are worth a walk after a soak. Montezuma Castle is closed to the public except for scheduled student-led tours, so check the college’s calendar if you want to see inside. For a resort soak with lodging, Ojo Caliente and Ojo Santa Fe are both within a few hours’ drive.