The Hidden Gems of Jemez: Exploring Spence Hot Springs

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Ever stumbled upon a natural wonder that feels like a well-kept secret? That's exactly what awaits at Spence Hot Springs, tucked away in New Mexico's breathtaking Jemez Mountains.

Nestled within the Santa Fe National Forest just outside Jemez Springs, these thermal pools offer a perfect blend of accessibility and natural beauty. After a quick 0.4-mile hike across the Jemez River, you'll discover a series of warm, soothing pools cascading down the mountainside. The main upper pool accommodates about a dozen people, while smaller pools below create a natural multi-tiered spa experience. Perhaps most intriguing is the small cave adjacent to the main pool – a natural sauna where the warm water makes a perfect retreat from the mountain air.

My midweek visit revealed the stark advantage of weekday exploration. With the place nearly to myself, I could fully appreciate the tranquil sounds of flowing water and the pristine mountain surroundings without distraction. The water temperature feels like a comfortable, warm bath, perfect for soaking tired muscles while taking in panoramic views of the national forest. While not scalding hot, the springs provide a gentler thermal experience that many find more enjoyable than intensely hot springs elsewhere.

Visitors should note the limited parking (approximately eight spaces), potential weekend crowds, and the importance of responsible stewardship. Remember not to ingest the spring water, pack out all trash, and respect clothing requirements due to the springs' proximity to public areas. These simple courtesies help preserve this natural treasure for future explorers.

Have you experienced New Mexico's hot springs? Share your story in the comments below and subscribe for more hidden gems across the Southwest's magnificent landscapes. If you're planning your first visit to Spence Hot Springs, I'd love to hear how it goes!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm at the Spence Hot Springs in the Jemez Mountains,
outside of Jemez Springs, newMexico, part of the Santa Fe
National Forest.
Let's go check it out.
They do give you a warning atthe trailhead.
I made it down to the hotspring.
It's more like a warmer spring.
Inside of this cave, though,it's definitely warmer and I'm

(00:26):
really enjoying that.
The cave is not very big.
Luckily I'm up here on aTuesday where it's not very
crowded.
This kind of feels like a saunain here.
The main spring is out herepast the mouth of the cave.
Let's go check that out.
There's the little cave I wasin right there Got a good size

(00:50):
pool up top here, room forprobably a dozen or so people,
maybe more.
There's a smaller pool below.
My assumption is that smallerpool is probably not as warm as
this pool.
There is a pool below that hasa little more algae in it.
It's probably a little cooler,so it promotes that algae growth

(01:14):
, which is okay, and I'mactually pretty lucky that
there's nobody here right now.
People just left.
Pretty much have the place tomyself for the moment.
Not a bad free place to checkout.
Let's talk some more about ithere in a minute, by the way, if
you like this video, give it athumbs up so we can get out to
other people.
Thanks, I would say.

(01:35):
Probably the majority of thewarm water comes from this cave
here and there's located inSprings, and then it goes over
this little area here and downto the lower pool and then that
pool spills over and goes intothe river which you walk across
as you come in.

(01:55):
Not sure what the temperatureof the water is, but I would say
it's kind of feels like warmbath water, but it feels pretty
nice.
The soothing sounds of thewater is pretty neat.
Here's a view of the lower pooland the water coming out which

(02:18):
keeps draining down towards theriver.
I'm going to walk out now Alittle bit better view of the
spill off from the top.
And there's also one over here,neat.
We have a pretty well markedpath to get up here.
It's not very far.
It's like four tenths of a mileto get across the creek.

(02:40):
There is some garbage at thegarbage cans at the trailhead.
We're full.
Whatever you bring in, makesure you pack it out.
There was some leftover clothesup there.
Didn't see any diapers, butthere were a few other items up
there that need to be packed outfolks, but not really a big

(03:00):
deal.
It didn't feel trashy or toobad to me.
I imagine on the weekend thisis a totally different thing.
Comparing the week, it's nottoo bad.
You can see where the springsbubble down and flow into the
river pretty neat.

(03:20):
Here's the bridge that you goover.
It's got got graffiti andstickers all over it.
This is the Jemez River.
We have that bridge here tocross over.
It's flowing nice today, clearwater.
One thing you might bewondering is can I get nude in

(03:43):
there?
I guess you can.
I don't know that you should.
It's right next to the highwayso you have easy access of law
enforcement to come down here,issue a citation for indecent
exposure or whatever theappropriate New Mexico law is
for it.
Do so at your own risk.
Just one more thing about thelitter.
I'm blessed to live in NewMexico.
Law is for it.
Do so at your own risk.
Just one more thing about thelitter.

(04:05):
I'm blessed to live in NewMexico.
There's a lot of really coolnature here.
Do your part, folks, and pickup your trash.
Pick up other people's trash.
If you see some, take it out.
Help keep these places pretty.
Oh wow, when I got in here,there was a full parking lot.

(04:29):
There's space for about sevenvehicles in the main parking
area over here, plus one forhandicapped placard.
I parked over here.
It was the only place availableat the time.
One thing to keep in mind don'tget water in your mouth.
There's organisms in the waterthat will hurt you, so don't

(04:52):
drink the water Just to hit itone more time.
Like Boy George said it best,you know New Mexico.
Do you really want to hurt me?
Let's do a good job and try topick up a place that's better
than what we had before we left.
Let's try not to add anythingto the place and let's try to be

(05:15):
smart and do smart things whenwe're enjoying these New Mexico
lands, especially out here inthe hot springs.
We're really blessed to havethese in New Mexico at various
places.
I really hope that you enjoyedthis video, if you did give it a
thumbs up.
If you have any questions,comments, suggestions for
further content, please leavethem in the comments below.

(05:36):
Let me know if you've been herebefore.
I'd be interested to hear that.
Take care Until next time.
See you on the trail, bye, bye.