Unnamed Thermal Spring
An unnamed 70°F warm spring on the Armendaris Ranch in Socorro County, New Mexico. The water runs 11 degrees above ambient air temperature. Located on private land with closed public access, it requires a 1.4-mile hike from the nearest road at 5,411 feet elevation.
The spring sits in the northern Chihuahuan Desert at 5,411 feet within the Armendaris Ranch, a large conservation property south of Socorro. Annual rainfall averages just 8.4 inches with 6.5 inches of snow, producing sparse desert scrub and open grassland. The Rio Grande corridor lies to the east, while the surrounding terrain consists of dry mesas and arroyos characteristic of the Jornada del Muerto basin.
The Armendaris Ranch takes its name from a Spanish colonial land grant. Ted Turner acquired the property in the 1990s for conservation purposes, and it now operates as a private wildlife reserve. No specific historical documentation of this spring's use has been identified. The ranch remains closed to the public, and the spring has no developed infrastructure.
This spring is on private land with no public access. The Armendaris Ranch does not permit visitors without prior arrangement. The nearest public campground is Water Canyon Campground, 28 km away at 6,800 feet in the Magdalena Mountains. Summers are intensely hot in this low-desert setting; carry ample water if traveling the surrounding area.
Is this spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Overnight camping trips
This campground is located at an elevation of 6,800 feet in the Magdalena Mountains.