A historic geothermal oasis between Deming and Silver City, New Mexico, featuring mineral-rich pools, clothing-optional areas, and roaming peacocks.
Faywood Hot Springs is a historic geothermal oasis situated in the high desert of southwestern New Mexico, roughly midway between Silver City and Deming. The springs flow from a thirty-foot-tall tufa rock dome, a mineral-crusted mound deposited over centuries of thermal activity. Long before modern travelers arrived, the ancient Mimbres people and later the Apache utilized these mineral-rich waters for their restorative properties. By 1859, the site welcomed its first formal bathhouse, eventually growing into a grand late-nineteenth-century resort promoted by sporting goods magnate Albert Spalding. In 1899, the Chicago White Stockings (now the Chicago Cubs) even used the property as a spring training camp, drawing players to soak in the therapeutic waters. Although the original fifty-room hotel was demolished in 1952, the property was revived in the 1990s and has been operated by the Shirk family since 2011, preserving its legacy as a rustic retreat.
The geothermal water surfaces at a scorching 129 degrees Fahrenheit before feeding into thirteen distinct outdoor soaking pools. These pools are carefully maintained at temperatures ranging from 102 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing guests to choose their preferred level of heat. Unlike many thermal springs in the West, the water at Faywood is remarkably odorless, lacking the heavy sulfur scent common to other geothermal sites. Instead, the mineral profile is rich in bicarbonate, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, lithium, and potassium, leaving the skin feeling silken and soothing tired muscles. The resort layout is split into distinct sections to accommodate different preferences, featuring dedicated clothing-required and clothing-optional areas, alongside private soaking tubs that can be reserved by the hour.
Accommodations at the resort cater to a range of outdoor travelers, with options including tent camping spots, full-hookup RV sites, and six rustic cabins named after regional flora and historical elements, such as the Apache, Mimbres, Cholla, and Dragonfly cabins. Overnight guests enjoy twenty-four-hour access to the communal pools, making midnight stargazing under the dark New Mexico sky a central part of the experience. A flock of resident peacocks roams the grounds freely, adding a touch of surreal color to the high-desert landscape of mesquite and creosote. Visitors should note that reservations are strictly required for all overnight stays, and the resort maintains a peaceful, bare-bones atmosphere free of cell service and Wi-Fi, encouraging a complete disconnect from the outside world.
Book a private soaking tub after dark for uninterrupted stargazing, and keep your food secure as the resident peacocks are known to forage close to the campsites.
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