San Francisco Hot Springs Soakable

San Francisco Hot Springs reads 120°F at the source (NCEI, historical reading); the pools people soak in usually run cooler than the source. Managed by the Gila National Forest (checked 2026-08-19).

Cool Warm Hot Boiling-class 120°F

120°F / 49°C

Hot range at the source — hotter than a hot tub

Reading from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation). Source temperature — lower pools usually run cooler.

Water temperatures change with flow and season — test before entering, and never submerge your head in warm natural water. CDC guidance on Naegleria fowleri.

Access

The Forest’s San Francisco Hot Springs Trail #250 runs 1.25 miles downhill through a minor drainage to the San Francisco Hot Springs on National Forest System lands along the San Francisco River. The trailhead is off Catron County Road C-025 on the west side of US 180 between mileposts 58 and 59, roughly seven miles south of Glenwood. The Forest attaches a direct instruction: do not trespass onto private property to access the privately owned San Francisco Hot Springs. The trail is designated for non-motorized use, there is no fee, and permits are required only for commercial or organized uses. Water along the route is not tested for quality; the Forest recommends treating or filtering native waters.

Trailhead: San Francisco Hot Springs Trailhead, US 180 between mileposts 58 and 59

Access notes read from the manager's own page, checked 2026-08-19.

Worth knowing: The Forest separates the springs on National Forest System land, which Trail #250 serves, from privately owned springs carrying the same name; the PAD-US join for this NCEI point is boundary-ambiguous, so read the Forest’s signs on the ground and verify locally which springs you are at.

Check current conditions with the Gila National Forest

Nearby springs

Identity, coordinates, and temperature quoted from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation).