Clifton Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Clifton Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Clifton, Arizona. Reported soak temperature: 105°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Historic mineral springs in the town of Clifton, AZ along the San Francisco River canyon — once fed the Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House (a documented HABS historic building); the natural springs reportedly still flow behind/near the post office area, but no official manager, facility, or confirmed public access status exists — ask locally before soaking.
Checked September 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 7 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Library of Congress HABS — Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House (AZ-191), Clifton Townsite survey.
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 105°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None known.
- Best time to go: Winter for mild temperatures; summers are very hot in the canyon.
- Clothing reality: No policy known; in-town location — assume clothed/public-appropriate.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: In-town location reachable by road, but the spring itself is riverbank terrain — rough, unimproved.
- No official site or manager — GNIS notes the springs 'are behind the current post office'; land ownership and legal access are unconfirmed
- Historic bath house (HABS AZ-191) is a landmark building, not an operating spa
- Reported temperature ~100-110F with extremely high dissolved solids (~14,000 mg/L, decades-old sample) and iron — expect heavy mineral odor/staining
- San Francisco River flash floods have repeatedly damaged Clifton — riverbank seeps can be buried or scoured
- Site was studied for geothermal power potential (2005 DOE/APS report) — no development resulted
- No facilities of any kind; town services available a short walk away
- Hazard: Unconfirmed legal access — verify in town first
- Hazard: Flash flooding of San Francisco River canyon
- Hazard: Very high mineral content; decades-old water chemistry data
About this spring
Extremely mineralized natural spring pool along the San Francisco River canyon in the historic copper-mining town of Clifton. Planned grand bathhouses in the early 1900s never materialized — the springs remain undeveloped. No facilities/maintenance. Highly saline water; verify accessibility locally.
Clifton Hot Springs — historically the Clifton Mineral Hot Springs — emerges along the San Francisco River canyon in the copper-mining town of Clifton, Greenlee County. Local lore repeated by the Arizona state geologist's blog holds that Coronado's expedition bathed here in 1540 and that mountain-man fur trappers visited two centuries ago. A 1978 USGS water sample recorded about 13,900 mg/L of total dissolved solids — tied for the most mineralized spring water documented in Arizona — dominated by chloride (~7,000 mg/L) and sodium (~3,300 mg/L), with a field temperature near 160°F. Though the springs appear undeveloped today, they once fed the Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House on Park Avenue, built in 1928 and documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS AZ-191); the building later operated as a motel. Catastrophic floods in 1972 and 1983 devastated the canyon-bottom townsite, part of the Clifton Townsite Historic District.
Directions & trailhead access
US-191 to Clifton; spring area along the San Francisco River near town.
Arizona geothermal context
Arizona's hot springs are products of Basin and Range crustal stretching, surfacing mostly along rugged canyon country around the Verde and Gila rivers. Many sit at the bottom of steep desert drainages where monsoon storms (July–September) can trigger flash floods. Desert heat makes winter the comfortable soaking season for most sites.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
October – April (Fall, Winter & Spring)Desert thermal zones experience high summer ambient heat. The cooler months from late autumn to early spring offer the most refreshing ambient conditions for open-air soaking.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 105°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 105°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Library of Congress HABS — Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House (AZ-191), Clifton Townsite survey |
Clifton Hot Springs FAQ
Is Clifton Hot Springs open right now?
Historic mineral springs in the town of Clifton, AZ along the San Francisco River canyon — once fed the Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House (a documented HABS historic building); the natural springs reportedly still flow behind/near the post office area, but no official manager, facility, or confirmed public access status exists — ask locally before soaking. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked September 2026.)
Is Clifton Hot Springs free?
Clifton Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Greenlee County, Arizona. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Clifton Hot Springs?
Clifton Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 105°F and a historical source temperature of 105°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Clifton Hot Springs clothing optional?
Clifton Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Clifton Hot Springs?
Clifton Hot Springs is a recorded location in Greenlee County. Verify current access, parking and land status with the site manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- GNIS / HometownLocator — Clifton Hot Springs feature record ('springs... behind the current post office') — official · 2020
- Library of Congress HABS — Clifton Mineral Hot Springs Bath House (AZ-191), Clifton Townsite survey — official · 1990
- Town of Clifton — history (Clifton Mineral Hot Springs and Bath House) — official · 2024
- ASU Digital Repository — 'Clifton Hot Springs, Arizona: GRED III, Final Report' (2005 DOE/APS geothermal exploration) — official · 2007
- hotsprings.co — Clifton Mineral Hot Springs (claims free access — low-reliability, unverified) — community · 2026
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/arizona/clifton-hot-springs
- arizonageology.blogspot.com/2010/10/clifton-mineral-hot-springs-history.html
- www.legendsofamerica.com/az-clifton
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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