Unnamed Thermal Spring
An unnamed 70°F warm spring within the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in Socorro County, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Water temperature runs only 9 degrees above ambient. The spring lies just 190 meters from a road at 4,673 feet elevation, but public access is restricted due to the refuge's research mission.
The spring emerges on the broad Rio Grande floodplain within the Sevilleta NWR at 4,673 feet. The refuge straddles the transition between Chihuahuan Desert grassland to the south and Great Plains grassland to the north, creating an ecologically significant boundary zone. Annual precipitation averages 8.2 inches with 8 inches of snow. Creosote bush, black grama grass, and scattered juniper dominate the arid terrain, with cottonwood galleries along the Rio Grande itself.
The Sevilleta was a Spanish colonial land grant before becoming a private ranch. The US Fish and Wildlife Service established it as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1973. It now operates primarily as a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site through the University of New Mexico. Public access has been restricted since the refuge's founding to protect ongoing scientific studies and habitat.
Access requires permission from the Sevilleta NWR, which limits public entry to protect research activities. Contact the refuge office in advance. The nearest public campground is Water Canyon in the Magdalena Mountains, 35 km west. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F at this low-desert elevation. The refuge occasionally offers guided public programs; check the USFWS website for scheduled events.
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.