McCauley Warm Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
CLOSED 'until further notice' — the 712-acre McCauley Springs Fire (started June 24, 2026, 100% contained July 2026) burned this canyon, and both access routes (Battleship Rock/East Fork Trail #137 and Jemez Falls trailhead) remain shut by Santa Fe NF order even after the wider closure expired Aug 11; normally a free primitive warm-spring pair of rock pools (~87-95F) on a 3.5-mi round-trip hike 7 mi north of Jemez Springs.
Field notes — checked July 2026
- Hazard: Post-fire: burned-area hazards (falling snags, flash-flood/debris-flow risk in storms)
- Hazard: Steep poorly-marked trail
- Hazard: Warm water only (87-95F) — not a hot soak
- POST-FIRE CLOSURE: McCauley Springs Fire (Jun 24-Jul 2026, 712 ac, 100% contained) — closure order ran through Aug 11, 2026, but Battleship Rock, Jemez Falls Campground/Trailhead, San Diego Overlook, AND the East Fork Trail from Battleship Rock to Hwy 4 'remain closed until further notice' — that covers every normal route in
- Fire burned the McCauley Springs canyon itself — post-fire pool condition unknown; suppression lines ran along the East Fork Trail
- Verify on Santa Fe NF Alerts page before driving — reopening was staggered and site-by-site
- When open: ~3.5 mi RT from Battleship Rock Picnic Area via East Fork Trail #137 (~820 ft gain), or ~3.3 mi RT from Jemez Falls Picnic Area; day-use only, no camping at pools
- Two shallow CCC-era rock pools hold ~20 people; water 87-95F (tepid — this is a WARM spring, not hot); source ~100F
- AllTrails flags a fee for the East Fork route — Jemez corridor day-use sites have charged ~$5; spring itself free
- No facilities or potable water at pools; nearest camping Jemez Falls CG (itself closed post-fire) / Redondo CG
Current status
CLOSED 'until further notice' — the 712-acre McCauley Springs Fire (started June 24, 2026, 100% contained July 2026) burned this canyon, and both access routes (Battleship Rock/East Fork Trail #137 and Jemez Falls trailhead) remain shut by Santa Fe NF order even after the wider closure expired Aug 11; normally a free primitive warm-spring pair of rock pools (~87-95F) on a 3.5-mi round-trip hike 7 mi north of Jemez Springs.
Checked July 2026 · verified against an official source · 8 sources ↓
About this spring
Tiered soda-colored warm pools (~85-90°F) in pine forest above Battleship Rock in Santa Fe National Forest, reached via the East Fork Trail — iconic views down onto Battleship Rock; continue 2 mi to Jemez Falls. Day use only — no camping within 400 ft. Swimsuits required. Check for wildfire closures.
McCauley Hot Springs — also called McCauley Warm Springs or Battleship Rock Hot Spring — is a Forest Service-managed thermal spring in Santa Fe National Forest at about 7,300 feet elevation, part of the ring of hot springs along the edge of the Valles Caldera, a dormant volcanic crater. Mineral water emerges near 99°F and cools to roughly 85-90°F as it cascades through a series of pools in a ponderosa pine clearing: a large, shallow rock-lined main pool with a gravel bottom and a rock dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, then a three-foot-deep rock-and-log pool, two more pools across a log footbridge, and a final soaking pool four to five feet deep.
The East Fork Trail reaches the springs about two miles uphill from the Battleship Rock trailhead off Highway 4 and continues to Jemez Falls; camping is prohibited within 400 feet of the spring.
Directions & trailhead access
Access is restricted; do not use historical directions to plan a visit.
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.
Fact sheet
| Source temp (historical) | 87°F |
|---|---|
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Santa Fe NF official — 'Temporary closure order extended for McCauley Springs Fire area' (order to Aug 11 2026; Battleship Rock, Jemez Falls, East Fork Trail remain closed until further notice) |
McCauley Warm Springs FAQ
Is McCauley Warm Springs open right now?
CLOSED 'until further notice' — the 712-acre McCauley Springs Fire (started June 24, 2026, 100% contained July 2026) burned this canyon, and both access routes (Battleship Rock/East Fork Trail #137 and Jemez Falls trailhead) remain shut by Santa Fe NF order even after the wider closure expired Aug 11; normally a free primitive warm-spring pair of rock pools (~87-95F) on a 3.5-mi round-trip hike 7 mi north of Jemez Springs. (Status verified against an official source, last checked July 2026.)
Can I soak at McCauley Warm Springs?
CLOSED 'until further notice' — the 712-acre McCauley Springs Fire (started June 24, 2026, 100% contained July 2026) burned this canyon, and both access routes (Battleship Rock/East Fork Trail #137 and Jemez Falls trailhead) remain shut by Santa Fe NF order even after the wider closure expired Aug 11; normally a free primitive warm-spring pair of rock pools (~87-95F) on a 3.5-mi round-trip hike 7 mi north of Jemez Springs.
Where can I check access to McCauley Warm Springs?
Check Santa Fe NF official — 'Temporary closure order extended for McCauley Springs Fire area' (order to Aug 11 2026; Battleship Rock, Jemez Falls, East Fork Trail remain closed until further notice): https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe/newsroom/releases/temporary-closure-order-extended-mccauley-springs-fire-area
Sources & references
- Santa Fe NF official — 'Temporary closure order extended for McCauley Springs Fire area' (order to Aug 11 2026; Battleship Rock, Jemez Falls, East Fork Trail remain closed until further notice) — official · 2026-07
- Santa Fe NF — McCauley Warm Springs page (access via East Fork Trail #137; no potable water; updated Mar 2025) — official · 2025-03
- KOAT — 'McCauley Springs Fire fully contained after growing 700+ acres' (712 ac, 100% contained, closure through Aug 11, listed sites closed until further notice) — news · 2026-07
- Albuquerque Journal — 'Jemez closures extended due to wildfire' (Jul 8 2026; partial reopenings vs remaining closures) — news · 2026-07
- Hot Springs Guides — McCauley Warm Springs (87-95F pools, 3.5-mi RT, CCC rock dams, day-use only) — community · 2025
- AllTrails — McCauley Hot Springs via East Fork Trail (active-wildfire banner on Jemez Falls route; updated Jun 2026) — community · 2026-06
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- www.fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe/recreation/battleship-rock-trailhead
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCauley_Hot_Springs
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