Radium Springs
Radium Springs discharges at 127°F (53°C per USGS), among the hottest thermal springs in southern New Mexico. The water is high in chloride (1,630 mg/L) with a pH of 8.2, indicating deep geothermal circulation. Located roadside at 5,300 feet in Doña Ana County, the spring is just 33 meters from the road.
The spring surfaces in the Rio Grande valley of southern New Mexico, where the river carves through desert terrain north of Las Cruces. At 5,300 feet, the landscape is Chihuahuan Desert scrub with creosote, mesquite, and sparse grassland. Annual rainfall averages only 8 inches with just 3 inches of snow. The jagged Organ Mountains rise to the east, and Leasburg Dam State Park sits nearby along the Rio Grande. The small community of Radium Springs clusters around the thermal feature.
The spring was named in the early 1900s when radioactive mineral waters were considered therapeutic. A bathhouse resort operated here during that era, drawing visitors from across the region. The Wikipedia entry referencing a village in British Columbia is a different location entirely. The New Mexico spring sits along the Rio Grande rift, where deep faults allow superheated water to rise quickly to the surface. Commercial use has diminished, though the community retains the name.
The spring is roadside and accessible year-round, but the water at 127°F is dangerously hot for direct contact. Summer temperatures in Doña Ana County regularly exceed 100°F; cooler months from October to April are preferable. Aguirre Spring Campground near the Organ Mountains, 38 km east, provides free first-come, first-served camping at the base of dramatic spires. Las Cruces, about 20 minutes south, has full services.
Is Radium Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
The water at Radium Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 8.2). It is notably rich in sulfate (traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation) and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).
The high wall, needle-like spires of the Organ Mountains curve dramatically around a semicircle of Chihuahuan Desert habitat at the Aguirre Spring Campground. The campground, nestled at the base of spectacular cliffs, overlooks the Tularosa Basin and White Sands National Park. Alligator juniper, gray oak, mountain mahogany and sotol are a few of the abundant plant species here. Seasonal springs and streams occur in the canyon bottoms, with a few perennial springs that support riparian habitat...