Riverbend Hot Springs

What to expect

Riverbend Hot Springs is the Truth or Consequences bathhouse that sits on the water. Its pools line the bank of the Rio Grande at the edge of the downtown district, so you soak outside beside the river rather than in an indoor tub room. Most of the other spas in town are private indoor baths, and that difference is the main reason to choose Riverbend.

The water is pumped from aquifer wells under the property. Riverbend says it is not heated, chlorinated or treated, has no smell, and carries more than 36 minerals. Pool temperatures shift with the season, wind and air temperature. The resort gives a rough range of 95 to 108°F35 to 42°C and says it cannot adjust the pools.

The grounds have shaded patios, chaise loungers and hammock chairs, and a gas fire pit in winter. Everyone has to be at least 12, and the resort asks guests to keep voices low and to put phones and screens away after dark in common areas.

The pools

Riverbend has two kinds of soaking: shared common pools you reach with a Property Pass, and private pools you book by the session.

Common pools (8, roughly 95-107°F35-42°C):

• Hot Minnow Baths: three upper pools, the hottest on the property. They began life as bait tanks.
• Riverside Rock Pools: four pools named Luna, Zia and the two Kiva Twins, about 99 to 105°F37 to 41°C.
• Sierra: a 16 by 25 foot rock pool at about 95 to 101°F35 to 38°C. It is the mildest pool, the one with an ADA pool lift and two hanging hammock chairs, and Riverbend calls it the largest hot springs pool in town.

The common pools are not reserved one by one. Capacity is limited, so they can feel busy on peak days.

Private pools (6, up to two people each):

• Deluxe (Navajo, Apache, Tewa, Zuni): larger and milder, around 100 to 103°F38 to 39°C, with ceiling fans, summer misters, a cold overhead shower, riverside curtains and two chaise loungers.
• Classic (Tierra, Rio, Cielo): smaller and warmer. Rio, closest to the river, is the hottest. Each has misters, a cold shower, curtains and loungers.

Private sessions start on the hour and last 50 minutes.

Prices and booking

Prices on the resort’s website:

• Property Pass (one hour, common pools and grounds): $30 Monday to Thursday, $40 Friday to Sunday, for one or two people. Extra people cost $15 each, up to four in total.
• Private soak (50 minutes, Classic or Deluxe): $40 Monday to Thursday, $50 Friday to Sunday, for one or two people.
• Extras: towel rental $3, robe rental $8. You can bring your own towel.

Hotel and RV guests use the common pools free from noon on check-in day until checkout. Private pools cost extra for them at the regular rates.

The site also lists a $10 discount for booking a Property Pass and private soak back to back, and a half-price single soak on weekday off-peak hours booked 20 to 60 minutes ahead. Both promotions show start dates from 2021 with no end date, so ask whether they still apply.

Reservations are required for everything. Book online or call 575-894-7625. No walk-ins.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year (11 p.m. during daylight saving time). The last Property Pass entry or private session starts by 9 p.m. Pools close every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for cleaning, so plan around that.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimsuits in the common pools. Clean bathing suits are required. A clean T-shirt over a suit is fine. No underwear and no shoes in the water.
• Clothing optional in the private pools.
• Shower before you soak, and again if you have been in the river.
• No alcohol, glass or food near the pools, and no smoking anywhere on the grounds.
• Age 12 and up only. Children 12 and older may use common and private pools. In private pools they pay the adult rate.
• Dogs: never in or next to the pools. Day guests can keep quiet dogs at the Canine Cabanas, or on the decks of the Cielo and Tierra private pools. Overnight guests may bring up to two leashed dogs with permission, at $30 per dog per night. Cats are not allowed.
• No lockers. The common pools have cubbies within view of most pools. Lock valuables in your car.

Getting there

From Interstate 25, take Exit 79 into Truth or Consequences and follow Date Street through town for about 1.5 miles. Turn left (east) at the light on 3rd Street, then take the first right onto Cedar Street. Follow Cedar about five blocks until it curves right. Riverbend is on the left beside the river, where Cedar meets Austin Street, at 100 Austin Street. Albuquerque and El Paso are each about two hours away by interstate. Truth or Consequences no longer has a Greyhound stop, so plan on driving.

When to go

Because the pools are outdoors, the season matters more here than at the indoor spas. October to April is the best stretch, with cool air over hot water and clear desert nights. Summer afternoons are hot, and the resort runs misters in the private pools to help. Early mornings are the pleasant part of a summer day.

The river changes through the year too. The Bureau of Reclamation controls the flow between Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs for irrigation. From March to early October cold, clear water runs past the property. Outside that season a temporary dirt dam downstream turns the stretch into a pond. For one to three weeks, usually in March and October, the riverbed can be nearly dry during the changeover.

Weekday mornings are the quietest time to book. Friday to Sunday costs more and fills first.

Where to stay nearby

Staying on site gets you unlimited common pool soaking during open hours. Riverbend’s rooms range from small Artist Rooms (listed at $114 to $194 a night) to suites with private indoor hot spring tubs and two casitas with their own 24-hour soaking pools (around $265 to $414). Rates float with demand, and most rooms have a two-night minimum that is dropped a week before the date. Six RV spaces sit across the street, for self-contained rigs only. Tents and car or van camping are not allowed.

Other options in the same few blocks:

• Pelican Spa, one street north, is a pet-friendly motel with private indoor tubs that also takes walk-in bathers.
• Sierra Grande on McAdoo Street is a 17-room lodge with private tubs and spa treatments.
• Elephant Butte Lake, about 5 miles away, and Caballo Lake, about 8 miles away, both have state park campgrounds.

Safety notes

• Heat: The Hot Minnow Baths and the Rio pool are the hottest water on site. Start in a milder pool, keep soaks short and drink water, especially on summer days.
• The river: River access is at your own risk and only under the pier when the river is flowing fully. Stay on the paved area and watch for the cold water and current.
• Footing: Rock pool edges and wet decks are slippery. Move slowly between pools.
• Belongings: With no lockers, leave valuables locked in your vehicle.