Black Rock Hot Springs

Q: Is Black Rock Hot Springs free?

Black Rock Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Taos County, New Mexico. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.

Q: What temperature is Black Rock Hot Springs?

Black Rock Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 106°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.

Q: Is Black Rock Hot Springs clothing optional?

Black Rock Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.

Q: How do you access Black Rock Hot Springs?

Black Rock Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.

Arroyo Hondo (Taos), New Mexico (Taos County)

By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026

Black Rock Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Arroyo Hondo (Taos), New Mexico. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.

Black Rock Hot Springs — natural hot spring near Arroyo Hondo (Taos), New Mexico — Photo: Phil Venditti from University Place, Washington, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

100°F reportedFree access (reported) 4.2 · 98 Google reviews

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Current status

Open — last verified below

Free primitive riverside pools on BLM land in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument below John Dunn Bridge west of Taos — short walk from a dirt-road parking switchback, clothing optional, no facilities; pools flood out during high river flows.

BLM Northern New Mexico RAC meeting minutes (Black Rock Hot Springs parking pinch point, John Dunn Bridge RMP Amendment)

Spring

Open

Road

Open

Access

Public land

Soaking

Soaking allowed

Water

Normal

Crowds

Busy weekends

Checked July 2026 · verified against an official source · 4 sources ↓

Staying overnight?

A town stay for Taos-area trips.

Taos is about 12 mi from the spring (straight line).

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Before you go

Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via BLM Northern New Mexico RAC meeting minutes (Black Rock Hot Springs parking pinch point, John Dunn Bridge RMP Amendment).
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 100°F — always test the water before entering.
Rules: Reported clothing-optional; reported dog-friendly.
Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
Reservations/permits: None — free BLM national-monument land, no fee or reservation.
Best time to go: Weekday mornings; avoid spring runoff (roughly April-June) when river swamps the pools. Summer/fall weekends get crowded by Taos-area standards.
Clothing reality: Official: no posted prohibition — BLM does not ban nudity at this site. Customary: long-standing clothing-optional use; mix of nude and suited soakers. Legal: no federal nudity ban on BLM land; NM indecent-exposure law rarely applied at traditionally clothing-optional springs.
Kids: Allowed.
Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
Accessibility: Short (<0.5 mi) but unmaintained rocky trail down/along the riverbank from roadside parking — not wheelchair accessible; footing uneven.
Pools submerge/wash out during high Rio Grande flows (spring runoff) — soaking impossible until levels drop
Parking is a tight switchback pinch point — emergency services require it kept clear; BLM monitoring area
Dirt county road (CR B-007) off NM-522 — washboarded, muddy after storms
No toilets, no water, no trash service — pack out everything
Don't confuse with Manby/Stagecoach Hot Springs — that one is on the EAST bank via a different (partly private) access
Check status with BLM Taos Field Office (575-758-8851) if road/bridge work is active — John Dunn Bridge area has had construction closures before
Hazard: River flooding submerges pools during high flows — cold fast water adjacent to pools
Hazard: Unmaintained rocky trail; steep bank
Hazard: Remote — no facilities, no cell coverage in the gorge
Hazard: Parking-area break-ins reported at gorge trailheads historically — don't leave valuables visible

About this spring

Small thermal springs emerging from basalt boulders at river level in the Rio Grande Gorge west of Arroyo Hondo. Two primitive rock-lined pools (source ~97-106°F) sit just above the river and are periodically flooded at high water. Also known as Hondo Hot Springs. Pools flood during spring runoff — avoid when the Rio Grande runs high. Dirt access road rutted/icy in winter. No facilities.

Black Rock Hot Springs — also called Hondo Hot Springs — is a small, never-commercialized thermal system on the Rio Grande west of Arroyo Hondo in Taos County, within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument corridor near John Dunn Bridge. Spring water emerges from a cluster of basalt boulders at river level and collects in a few primitive rock-lined soaking pools; the largest gravel-bottomed pool measures about 12 feet across and 4 feet deep. The source registers about 106°F, while the largest soaking pool holds near 98°F where the thermal water mixes with river water.

Because the pools sit essentially at the river's edge, they are accessible only when the Rio Grande runs low and are periodically flooded or washed out entirely during high water, after which visitors rebuild them. A short, steep trail descends to the springs from the dirt rim road.

Directions & trailhead access

From Taos, NM-522 north ~5 mi, west on County Rd B-007 to John Dunn Bridge over the Rio Grande; park near the first switchback and hike the short steep trail down. Dirt road rough — high clearance helpful.

New Mexico geothermal context

New Mexico's springs follow the Rio Grande rift — the deep fault system that lets magma-heated groundwater rise along the river corridor from Colorado to Texas. The Jemez Mountains and Gila Wilderness hold most of the natural pools; monsoon season (July–September) brings violent afternoon storms and flash-flood risk to canyon 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.

Recommended soaking windowSunrise & Stargazing Night Soaks

Packing & trail adviceHydrate frequently with electrolyte water and pack sun protection for daytime access.

Live Outdoor Soaking Weather

Reported Directory Data

New Mexico Geothermal Area • Reported 100°F

Reported source temperature — actual pool conditions vary.

Live NOAA sync...Directory Data

Fact sheet

Reported soak temp	100°F
Source temp (historical)	106°F
Trail access	Recorded coordinates — access unverified
Access fee	Reported free — verify locally
Clothing policy	Reported clothing-optional
Pet policy	Reported dog-friendly
Geothermal data reference	NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive)
Check land status	BLM Northern New Mexico RAC meeting minutes (Black Rock Hot Springs parking pinch point, John Dunn Bridge RMP Amendment)