Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

What to expect

Ojo Caliente is one of the oldest mineral springs resorts in the US, set at the foot of low cliffs in the Rio Ojo Caliente valley, about an hour north of Santa Fe. The springs have been used for centuries. The Tewa know the site as P’osí P’ohpee, and Posi, an ancestral Pueblo village that once held more than 1,000 people, stood nearby until about the 1500s. Antonio Joseph opened a bathhouse here in the 1860s, a hotel followed in 1916, and the historic buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

What sets it apart from most resorts is the water. Several separate springs feed the pools, and each has its own mix of minerals. The resort groups them as iron, arsenic, soda and lithia waters, and all of them are naturally sulfur-free, so there is no rotten-egg smell. Pool temperatures run from about 80°F to 105°F27°C to 41°C.

The feel is quiet. The entire soaking area is a whisper zone, phones must be silenced, and you are not allowed to photograph anyone outside your own group. It is set up for adults soaking slowly, not for families splashing.

The pools

• Soda Pool: enclosed, deep and steamy. It is a silent, no-talking pool.
• Lithia Pool: large and open-air, close to the bathhouse.
• Iron Pool: pebble floor with spring water bubbling up through it.
• Arsenic Pool: reopened in 2026 after restoration.
• Upper and Lower Cliffside Pools: set against the rock face, good for stargazing on winter nights.
• Big Pool: the coolest of the group, which works as a cold plunge in summer.
• Terrace Pool: another communal pool in the main complex.
• Mud Pool: a clay blend you coat yourself in and let dry before rinsing. It is seasonal, closes daily at sunset, and may close in cold or cloudy weather.

Day passes also include a dry sauna and steam room (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.). A new cold plunge and pool deck restoration were still under construction in late 2026.

Prices and booking

Day soaking (2026):

• $45 per person, Monday to Thursday
• $65 per person, Friday to Sunday and holidays
• Includes a locker, towel, changing rooms, showers, sauna, steam room and all communal pools
• Robe rental $20
• Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sold at entry, first come, first served. Day soaking cannot be reserved.

Private soaking: the private pool with a kiva fireplace costs $75 for two guests for 50 minutes, plus $25 for each extra guest up to four. You also pay the day entrance fee, and it is by appointment only (877-977-8212). Swimwear is optional in private sessions.

Packages: the resort sells day packages such as Ojo Bliss ($225 per person) and the Dos Ojos Soaking Package ($175), which pairs Ojo Caliente with its sister property, Ojo Santa Fe.

Overnight guests get unlimited access to the communal pools from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., including on check-in and check-out days. Campers on the property get 20% off spring access instead.

To cancel a booking for a refund, call at least 24 hours ahead.

Rules and etiquette

• Age limits. No children under 13 in the springs. Guests aged 13 to 17 must be with an adult at all times. Spa treatments are 18 and up.
• Swimsuits are required in all communal areas.
• Shower first. Everyone must shower with soap before entering the pools.
• Quiet. Whisper only, phones on silent, no calls in the soaking area, and no photos of other guests.
• No alcohol, glass or outside food in the soaking areas. The gift shop sells snacks and drinks.
• No pets. The resort charges $250 per animal per day.
• Smoking only in the parking lot nearest your room. Smoking in a room costs a $250 fee.
• Lightning. Pools close when lightning is within 10 miles.

Getting there

The resort is at 50 Los Banos Drive in the village of Ojo Caliente, just off US 285 and NM 414. From Santa Fe, take US 84/285 north through Pojoaque to Española, then stay on US 285 north to Ojo Caliente. Allow about an hour. From Taos, allow about 45 minutes heading southwest. Parking is on site, and the whole drive is paved.

When to go

The resort is open year-round. Weekends and holidays cost $20 more and get busy, especially on winter weekends. The resort publishes a 2026 visitation calendar that marks low, moderate and high days, which is worth checking before you pick a date.

Winter evenings in the cliffside pools are a highlight, with cold air and clear skies over the valley. The mud pool only runs in warm, sunny weather and shuts at sunset. Summer afternoons can be hot, which is when the cooler Big Pool earns its place.

Where to stay nearby

The resort has a wide range of lodging, all of which includes pool access:

• Historic Hotel (built 1916), with rooms that share showers in the historic bathhouse.
• Suites such as the Posi, Cliffside, Pueblo and Plaza suites. The Posi and Cliffside suites have private pools or tubs.
• Inn at Ojo, about a quarter mile from the main resort, and the North Cottages.
• Casa de Ojo (three bedrooms, up to 12 people) and the Adobe House (four bedrooms, up to 14).
• Vintage trailers, RV sites and tent sites in a cottonwood grove near the springs.

The on-site restaurant is The Artesian, with a wine bar. For more choice, Española is the nearest town with chain motels, and Taos and Santa Fe are both within about an hour.

Safety notes

• Hot pools at altitude. The resort sits at about 6,200 feet. Drink water, take breaks and get out if you feel dizzy.
• Do not drink the pool water. Several springs are naturally high in arsenic.
• Wet surfaces. Decks and steps are slippery, and part of the deck was under construction in 2026.
• Mud pool. Keep clay out of your eyes and rinse fully before entering other pools.

Nearby stops worth adding

Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, in Georgia O’Keeffe country, make a good add-on to the west. Pair this soak with Ojo Santa Fe south of Santa Fe, or with Manby Hot Springs in the Rio Grande gorge near Taos.