Country
United States
Reviews
No reviews yet
Family friendly
Yes
Season
October to February (low river; avoid March to September high water)
About Manby Hot Springs
Manby Hot Springs, also called Stagecoach Hot Springs, rise at the edge of the Rio Grande deep in the basalt gorge north-west of Taos, near Arroyo Hondo, inside Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Several primitive, rock-lined pools with sandy bottoms sit just above the river. The main pool, right at the water's edge, is around 98°F, several feet deep and big enough for about six people; a smaller, warmer pool lies by the ruins of the old stagecoach station. Stone foundations of a bathhouse and cabins survive from the late 1800s, when visitors came by stagecoach from the railroad at Taos Junction, and from Arthur Manby's unfinished early-20th-century resort scheme. The pools sit only a few feet above normal river level and are swamped when the Rio Grande runs high, especially during spring snowmelt and summer monsoon storms. Clothing is optional by long custom and many regulars soak nude, though there is no official policy either way. The springs are on BLM land, but the old parking area and approach roads cross private land, and neighbours' complaints about traffic, trash and trespass led to the road access being closed in 2021.
Legal context & local rules
The springs are on BLM land in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument; the BLM has no published nudity rule for the site and clothing-optional soaking is a long-standing custom. Since 2021 the road access across private land has been closed to the public following neighbour complaints, and trespass is enforced.
Public nudity is largely prohibited in the US under indecent exposure laws which vary significantly by state. Vermont has no state-level law against public nudity, making it unique. Florida designates specific beaches as clothing-optional (Haulover Beach, Blind Creek State Park). Federal jurisprudence under the First Amendment has occasionally recognised nude expression in protests, though states regulate for public decency standards. Most states prohibit exposure of "sexual organs" in public under statutes similar to Florida Statute § 800.03.
Getting there and visiting
Access is restricted. Since 2021 the private Tune Drive approach off County Road B-007 has been closed to the public, and neighbours say the only legal access is by floating the Rio Grande or walking the fisherman's trail along the riverbank, about 2 miles each way over rocky, boulder-strewn and sometimes muddy ground with poison ivy. Check current status with the BLM Taos Field Office before going. No facilities, no cell service, no public transport; not wheelchair accessible.
What visitors say
Visitors love the setting at river level in the gorge, the ruins, and the warm pools at the Rio Grande's edge, and describe nude soaking as normal. Common frustrations are confusion and conflict over access since the road closure, the rough walk in, and pools that are flooded or cooled by high water for much of the spring and summer. Guides advise checking the Embudo river gauge, bringing long pants against poison ivy, not hiking alone, and packing out trash. Some note that families and newcomers may be surprised by the nudity.
Summarised in our own words from public reviews and guides listed under Sources.
Before you go
- 1 Check the current local rules and access conditions before travelling.
- 2 Bring a towel and sit on it when using shared seating.
- 3 Never take photographs of other people without clear consent.
- 4 Respect the venue’s clothing, privacy, and behaviour rules.
Location
⌖View this place on the map
36.5083, -105.7243
Frequently asked questions
Can I still get to Manby Hot Springs?
Only on foot along the riverbank or by floating the Rio Grande; the private road access via Tune Drive was closed to the public in 2021. Confirm current access with the BLM Taos Field Office.
Is it clothing-optional?
By custom, yes. There is no official policy, but nude soaking is common.
How warm are the pools?
The main river-edge pool is about 98°F; a smaller pool by the stagecoach ruins is warmer.
When are the pools usable?
When the Rio Grande is low, typically late autumn and winter. High water in spring snowmelt and summer monsoons can submerge them.
Sources
- Manby Hot Springs (Wikipedia)
- Manby Hot Springs, New Mexico (Hot Springs Guides)
- Loved to near death: Tune Drive access to Manby Hot Springs to close (Taos News, 2021)
- Trespassers set to lose access to Manby Hot Springs near Taos (Santa Fe New Mexican, 2021)
- Stagecoach Hot Springs: clothing-optional soaking on the Rio Grande (The Catalyst, 2015)
Researched 24 October 2026 .
Help keep this page accurate
Conditions and venue policies change. Submit a correction or update so other naturists can make informed decisions.
Suggest an update →Members’ reviews
Write a review →No member reviews yet. Been here? Share what it was like.
More naturist places in United States
View all in United States →Alice Falls
Alice Falls is a waterfall and swimming spot on the Ausable River near Keeseville, at the northeastern edge of the Adirondacks. Flat rock ledges beside the falls are used informally for nude sunbathing, including by families. It has no facilities or official status. River currents can be strong after rain, and visitors should respect nearby residents.
Alpenglow Ranch Clothing Optional B&B
Alpenglow Ranch is a clothing-optional bed and breakfast and small resort near Bend in central Oregon, listed with AANR and the Clothing Optional Home Network. Guests stay in the house and can relax nude around the grounds with views toward the Cascades, using Bend as a base for high-desert hiking and hot springs trips. Booking ahead is required.
Alvord Hot Springs
A privately owned desert soaking spot at the foot of Steens Mountain in south-eastern Oregon. Two rustic concrete pools look out over the white playa of the Alvord Desert. The spring is on a working ranch, and a small fee covers soaking, with bunkhouse rooms and camping nearby. Soaking here is clothing-optional, and the remote setting is known for big skies and stargazing.
Apollo Beach
Apollo Beach is the northern, Volusia County district of Canaveral National Seashore, a federally protected barrier island south of New Smyrna Beach on Florida's Atlantic coast. A park road runs south from the entrance station past five numbered parking areas with boardwalks over the dunes; nude sunbathing happens on the sand south of parking area 5, the last lot before the road ends. A long-standing understanding between naturist groups and rangers dating to 2000 asks people to stay covered until about 150 yards south of that boardwalk, although nude visitors are often seen closer. South of there the beach continues as Klondike Beach, roughly a dozen miles of undeveloped shore with no road access, so the farther you walk the emptier it gets. The beach is wide, soft, pale sand backed by sea oats and dunes, with no shade, no buildings and no vendors. It draws fewer people than Playalinda at the Brevard end of the seashore, mostly because parking is so limited. Volusia County has never passed a public nudity ordinance, which is why this end of the seashore has a calmer legal position than Playalinda. Wildlife sightings (shorebirds, wild hogs, armadillos) are common on the drive in.
Apollo Beach Ramp 5
Apollo Beach Ramp 5 is a nudist-friendly beach in Volusia County, Florida,, USA. Nudity is optional. On-site amenities include restrooms.
Arcadia Romantic Getaway
Arcadia Romantic Getaway is a small, couples-oriented naturist retreat in the rural community of Arcadia, near Shelton in Mason County. The fenced six-acre property has gardens, a pool and a hot tub, and the owner screens visitors, so guests must call ahead. Day passes are available during a summer season that runs roughly from Memorial Day through September. Coordinates mark the Arcadia community, not the exact gate.