Jordan Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Jordan Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Silver City (via Gila Cliff Dwellings), New Mexico. Reported soak temperature: 97°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Three rock-walled pools (90-100°F) on the canyon wall above the Middle Fork Gila River in the Gila Wilderness — a ~14-mi round trip from TJ Corral trailhead via Little Bear Canyon with ~15 river crossings; a habituated black bear has charged hikers and entered the pools here (USFS advisory May 2025, reports continuing into 2026), so bear-awareness is as important as the water crossings.
Checked April 2026 · verified against an official source · 8 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A town stay before or after a Gila trip.
Silver City is about 36 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Grant County Beat — USFS Gila NF public safety advisory (May 15, 2025): habituated bear at Jordan Hot Springs charged hikers, harassed campers, destroyed tent, entered the spring while occupied; NM Game & Fish advised avoiding area; signs posted at trailheads.
- 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 97°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 required — Gila Wilderness, free entry; check conditions with Gila NF Wilderness Ranger District (575) 536-2250.
- Best time to go: Spring and fall weekdays; avoid monsoon high water and winter cold-water crossings. Overnight beats a dawn-to-dusk death march.
- Clothing reality: No policy — wilderness custom is mixed/clothing-optional at the pools; suits advisable on a popular trail.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: None — 14+ mi wilderness hike with ~15 knee-deep river fords and overgrown tread.
- BEAR WARNING: USFS/Gila NF public safety advisory (May 15, 2025) — a human-habituated bear at Jordan Hot Springs charged hikers, destroyed a tent, and ENTERED the spring while people soaked; NM Game & Fish advised avoiding the area; bear encounters at the Little Bear/Middle Fork junction campsites still reported in 2026 — secure food, carry spray, check Gila NF Facebook/ranger (575) 536-2250 before going
- ~13.9-14.5 mi RT via Little Bear Canyon Tr #729 + Middle Fork Tr #157 from TJ Corral (near Gila Cliff Dwellings NM); alt ~17 mi RT via Middle Fork Tr #157 from Middle Fork TH at Gila Visitor Center — strongly recommended as an overnight, not a day hike
- ~15+ crossings of the Middle Fork Gila River — shin to knee deep normally, DANGEROUS OR IMPASSABLE after rain/snowmelt; flash floods; trail overgrown in places with beaver-dam-deep crossings; your feet will be wet all day
- Pools sit ~50 ft up the north canyon wall — unmarked (but well-worn) spur at roughly the 15th crossing; largest pool ~20 ft wide, ~3 ft deep, 90-100°F
- Wilderness rules: camp ≥200 ft from springs; pack out all trash; wag bag or bury waste 6+ in deep 200+ ft from water; established fire rings only, current fire regs apply
- Dogs welcome (may be off-leash in areas); rattlesnakes common — hikers report seeing them most trips
- Paved but narrow/winding NM-15 to trailheads — no cell service anywhere in the canyon; TJ Corral lot serves Gila Cliff Dwellings visitors and fills up
- Best March-November; monsoon season (Jul-Sep) raises crossing and flood risk
- Hazard: Habituated black bear actively approaching hikers/camps/pool (advisory since May 2025; encounters still reported 2026)
- Hazard: ~15 river crossings — knee-deep normally, impassable/dangerous in high water; flash floods
- Hazard: Rattlesnakes, overgrown trail, wet-foot all day
- Hazard: Remote wilderness — no cell, long self-rescue; multi-day commitment
- Hazard: Lightfeather Hot Springs on the Middle Fork route emerges scalding — test before entering (burns reported)
About this spring
Primitive backcountry warm spring in the Gila Wilderness on the Middle Fork of the Gila River — a large rock-walled pool (~94-100°F) sits ~50 ft above the river at ~4,850 ft, surrounded by canyon cliffs. Reached by ~7 miles of hiking with ~15 river crossings; usually an overnight backpacking trip. ~15 river crossings can become dangerous after storms — flash-flood prone. Check current Gila NF fire closures before visiting.
Jordan Hot Spring sits deep in the Gila Wilderness — designated in 1924 as the first federally protected wilderness area in the United States — on the north canyon wall above the Middle Fork of the Gila River in Catron County. The National Park Service describes the pool as about 20 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep at roughly 94°F, temperate enough that some call it a 'warm spring.' Like neighboring Lightfeather, it is classed as a 'sweet spring': high in mineral content but lacking salt, sulfur, and the pungent sulfur smell. Indigenous peoples including the Mogollon sought these waters for therapeutic purposes for generations.
The approach is a moderately strenuous hike of about seven miles via Little Bear Canyon Trail #729 — or eight-plus miles via the Middle Fork route — involving some 15 river crossings. NPS recommends treating it as an overnight backpack; established campsites sit above and below the spring.
Directions & trailhead access
NM-15 north from Silver City ~43 miles to its end at TJ Corral trailhead (near Gila Cliff Dwellings); Little Bear Canyon Trail #729 ~5 mi then Middle Fork Trail #157 ~2 mi.
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.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 97°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | Not reported |
| 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 | Grant County Beat — USFS Gila NF public safety advisory (May 15, 2025): habituated bear at Jordan Hot Springs charged hikers, harassed campers, destroyed tent, entered the spring while occupied; NM Game & Fish advised avoiding area; signs posted at trailheads |
Jordan Hot Springs FAQ
Is Jordan Hot Springs open right now?
Three rock-walled pools (90-100°F) on the canyon wall above the Middle Fork Gila River in the Gila Wilderness — a ~14-mi round trip from TJ Corral trailhead via Little Bear Canyon with ~15 river crossings; a habituated black bear has charged hikers and entered the pools here (USFS advisory May 2025, reports continuing into 2026), so bear-awareness is as important as the water crossings. (Status verified against an official source, last checked April 2026.)
Is Jordan Hot Springs free?
Jordan Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Catron County, New Mexico. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Jordan Hot Springs?
Jordan Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 97°F. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Jordan Hot Springs clothing optional?
Jordan Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Jordan Hot Springs?
Jordan Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Silver City
A town stay before or after a Gila trip. The winding NM-15 route to Gila Cliff Dwellings takes planning; this is not lodging at the trailhead.
Silver City is about 36 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Grant County Beat — USFS Gila NF public safety advisory (May 15, 2025): habituated bear at Jordan Hot Springs charged hikers, harassed campers, destroyed tent, entered the spring while occupied; NM Game & Fish advised avoiding area; signs posted at trailheads — official · 2025-05
- AllTrails — Jordan Hot Springs via Little Bear Canyon (568 reviews): 13.9 mi out-and-back, ~15 river crossings mid-calf deep, best Mar-Nov, dogs OK/off-leash areas; recent review bears warning — nuisance bear at Little Bear/Middle Fork junction campsites entered a tent; stewardship rules (camp 200 ft+, wag bags) — community · 2026
- Trailforks — Middle Fork trail reports: Apr 18, 2026 status posted; notes Lightfeather source water 'very hot, will burn you'; Jordan ~9 mi from Middle Fork TH; river floods frequently, tread washed out in places — community · 2026-04
- Gila Trails News newsletter: 'multiple reports of bear encounters at Jordan Hot Springs'; drought concentrating wildlife along waterways — community · 2026
- onX Backcountry — Jordan Hot Springs hike: 17 mi RT via Middle Fork Tr #157 from Middle Fork TH at Gila Visitor Center; unmarked spur to pools; 94-100°F; camping nearby — community · 2025
- Gaia GPS route — Jordan via Little Bear #729 + Middle Fork #157: 7.6 mi one-way, ~14-15 crossings after the first; recent tracklog reports water ~90°F, 14.5 mi total — community · 2026
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- www.nps.gov/gicl/learn/nature/hotsprings.htm
- www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/jordan-hot-spring-new-mexico
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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