Discover One of America’s Oldest and Most Underrated Sulfur-Free Hot Springs in the West

Few things are as relaxing as soaking in a warm bath when your body is tired and sore. However, even the most luxurious Korean spa complexes or decadent tubs at over-the-top luxury resorts that are worth the splurge can’t compare to melting your stress away in an outdoor mineral pool with incredible views. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs is just such a sanctuary, a hideaway from the fast pace of modern life set against a backdrop of deep blue skies and New Mexico’s awe-inspiring sandstone cliffs. 

Situated about an hour north of Santa Fe, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs boasts the only collection of four different types of sulfur-free springs in the world and is one of the oldest health spa in the USA. Although it was established as a bathhouse in 1868, Indigenous communities considered these healing waters sacred long before Spanish conquistadors stumbled on them in their quest for the Fountain of Youth. In fact, thousands of Indigenous people lived in pueblos overlooking the springs until the 15th century. Nowadays, visitors can hike past the P’osi Pueblo Ruins along rugged trails originating from the wellness center.

The spa’s adobe-inspired architecture blends seamlessly with the desert environment, making the retreat one of the most luxurious destinations to soak in hot springs with the best views. Each communal pool has a different enriching mineral content, with temperatures ranging from 80 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The wellness center also offers private pools, a dry sauna, a steam room, a luxurious spa, a farm-to-table restaurant, yoga classes, pottery workshops, and numerous accommodation options.

Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs boasts four specialty pools, each rich in a different mineral — iron, soda, lithia, and arsenic. Although the last substance may sound scary, arsenic-rich waters are used to treat arthritic pain and various skin conditions. In the Iron Pool, immunity-strengthening water bubbles up from the bottom, while the Lithia Pool is thought to relieve depression, and the Soda Pool’s waters may improve digestion. Wellness seekers can also soak in pools built into the cliffs or cool off in the spacious main pool surrounded by sunbeds. However, the therapeutic mudbath is one of the retreat’s biggest draws. Cover your body in layers of purifying, orange-brown mud and bask in the warm desert sun, allowing the clay to dry and pull toxins from your body.

Day-use guests have access to the communal pools, the day sauna, the steam room, the changing rooms, the lockers, and public areas. Guests staying at the resort enjoy additional benefits, including rooms with private soaking tubs, bathrobes, sandals, and a complimentary yoga class. However, day-use guests can pre-register for public yoga classes for an additional fee.

Rivaling any of the best destinations in the world for a stress-free wellness vacation, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs is home to an award-winning spa that offers treatments designed to complement the water’s healing properties. Relax in the Himalayan salt sauna or the eucalyptus steam room before enjoying a massage, facial treatment, or sound healing.