Blue Hole

Visited the Blue Hole in New Mexico on a Friday. Parking was free that day (normally $10), and I even managed to park my truck bobtail with no problem. The place is amazing — very few people around, crystal-clear but freezing cold water, and you can swim or even schedule a scuba dive. There are picnic tables, a small museum, and a souvenir shop. A great spot to relax and spend quality time with family.

Breathtaking nature, clear blue water, and a peaceful vibe—don’t miss it! The Blue Hole is truly a hidden gem in the New Mexico desert! The natural beauty of the crystal-clear, deep blue water surrounded by rugged stone is absolutely breathtaking. It’s one of those places that surprises you with how stunning it is in person.

This was the best adventure for the whole family. It's 62 degrees all year round. and a see through lake. Amazing place.

This has got to be one of the top 10 places to take your family on vacation / swimming $10 to park ypur car, picnic tables and plenty of shade. 61 degree water. Great place for little kids as well.

Such a GORGEOUS place. The water is literally SO COLD, but so refreshing at the same time. It is also so clear and when you look down with goggles on, it is insane to be able to see straight clear to the bottom. Really cheap to go to, as well.

The best spot to swim in new Mexico . So refreshing. We stop and jump in every time we pass through. It's a family tradition

Great place to scuba, small fresh water spring with lots of fun stuff, weekends are pretty busy so plan accordingly!

My girlfriend and I stopped by here on a Grand Canyon Road trip in July. This place was a highlight of the trip. It was only $10 for a parking pass. The parking was right next to the hole itself. They have lifeguards on duty. There are picnic areas, bathrooms, and a gift store. The water looks amazing. I'm now planning on seeing blue holes anywhere I travel. It was also great that you can swim in it or even dive into it from the natural rock. We jumped in a couple times (cold water) and had a picnic there. We saw some scuba divers show up to go down it too. It's really spectacular to see and swimming in it was amazing.

Pretty cool place to pull over and take a nice dip, but it is CHILLY! Its 60* year round and is spring fed water. It is a beautiful blue, but it is literally a hole in the ground. My husband and I went scuba diving while the kids swam. In order to scuba dive you will have to get a permit that I think was about $20. They do have tanks and other equipment available to rent on-site. We just needed tanks. My husband and I had the whole place to ourselves, underwater. It is a little creepy at the bottom. There are rocks and debris, as well as a plaque in memory of 2 divers that died trying to map out the caves. I actually had an equipment failure and had to end the dive early due to taking in water, but all is well. It is a beautiful spot! Be careful if you dive, this is a high altitude and deep water dive. There is also a spot up the road towards Albuquerque that is an even higher altitude and could cause the bends if you head that way too soon after diving.

Blue hole is the main attraction and thing to do in the santa rosa area. We did a 7 hour drive out here for a diving trip for my kids. There is a lot of parking. It seems to be a popular spot for families to come and picnic as well. The recreation center couples with the dmv. They do have limited day time hours. I had emailed in advance and was able to chat with the manager via cell phone. He said if we came after hours he would come out to meet us. You do need to pay $25 per diver for a week permit. If you want to just swim that is free. There is not a limit on how many divers can be in once and it sounds like in the summer it can get quite busy. On saturday and sunday, swimmers are not allowed in until 11 am. The water is consistent 60-62 degrees. There is a scuba rental shop on site, but she has limited hours and only on the weekends usually. If you want to do rentals I would call in advance just to clarify she will be there prior to coming The scuba shop lady only has a landline - no cell or email. It is $75 if you need everything for one day rental. You will need to have cash. She does not take cards or checks. She is separate from blue hole but has a small shed/building on site. Of course you need to be a certified diver to dive or be a student with a teacher.

The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa is an absolute must-visit! Despite not taking a dip due to the chilly weather, the experience was nothing short of mesmerizing. The clarity and color of the water are out of this world - it's like peering into a different realm! It's a diver's paradise and a photographer's dream. The serene atmosphere and the natural beauty of the surroundings make it a perfect spot for a tranquil day out. Can't wait to return and actually swim in these enchanting waters. Highly recommend for anyone traveling through New Mexico!

Made a stop here on a long trip headed to Cali from Texas. Kind of cool to see this in an area that made it seem very out of place. Chilly morning when we stopped off, and not many other sightseers were here. Would recommend it if you're in the area and need to stretch your legs from a lengthy drive.

No, I did not swim here. I went as far as dipping my feet in it. Be warned: if you're going to do such thing, be cautious on the steps that they are very slick and hold on to the rail! So about the famous Blue Hole...it is one of the most popular (maybe Top 3 or 5?) diving destinations in the United States. You can go as far as 80 feet below if you're a scuba diver. Also if you plan on going scuba diving, you must have a license. There have been horror stories about professional divers not making it back up to the upper surface. (May want to turn to research and YouTube for that one) But either way, if you're just passing through town or cruising Route 66 like I was, then definitely make this a must-stop. Swim at your own risk. The water is fresh and natural...I could go about that! I was there on a Fall day and most people were there just to take pictures and have picnics there. Large parking area as well.

Not a far drive from panhandle texas. Although it is on route 66 so plenty of weekend traffic. Not a hard place to find but kind of confusing. So when you pull you'll need to park and either pay for water park across the street. Or pay for a parking pass. You can then drive around to a spot more convenient to water hole or just walk around from the station. In the station you can also change your clothes. It has some benches with shading but you could bring your own set up. Bring sandals or water shoes, lifevest for kiddos. It has a platform for some kind of surface sports. It has a bathroom by hole. So their is a smaller rock playform to jump off if the cliff is not your idea of fun. Their are scuba divers in the water the whole time. Beware that water is COLD! But its refreshing and beautiful. Lifeguards were on duty.

We were kind of disappointed to see what Blue Hole was all about after taking a day trip to drive to Santa Rosa to check out what Blue Hole was all about. It was on a Memorial Day one of the weekend days after COVID measures were lifted, so the place was pretty crowded. Like you would have to be in pretty close vicinity to the people around you for sure. We got vaccinated already, but after a year long saga, being in super crowded place (albeit outdoors) wasn't something both of us felt as comfortable doing again...esp given our state was just 40% vaccinated. The place was crowded, you'd have to line up and get in a line to get/pay for parking. We were hoping for somewhere serene/peaceful and beautiful where we would have time for ourselves, but it seemed other families had Blue Hole in mind as well. On the way out driving towards/out of Blue Hole location, a tire on our car also got a big nail that went right into the tire...so..it was definitely a challenge/unexpected event to have to stop by along the way a bit after leaving Blue Hole location to change tire...and settled at 50mph down the highway until we could find another road with less traffic to drive on instead. Overall, way too crowded and a bit of a disappointment for both of us for sure.

Long drive from Denver... very popular with SCUBA classes. They say the H2O temperature is "a constant 60F"! Ah, that water was NOT 60 degrees... maybe 45F-50F! The tow is pretty much a ghost town except for one resteraunt and the hotels along Rte. 66.

Super cool stop on the way to Albuquerque from Oklahoma. We took a dip on one of the hottest days. Be prepared to feel alive, it's cold. Stop in Santa Rosa, NM.

Beautiful fresh clean water. Wish they wouldn't have built a building so close. and I think the buoys mar the view. I swam when it was 50° out so the 61° water was actually warmer. Cool ledges to jump off of. Will try to be back!!

Cold but awesome Wear a wetsuit if u cant stand the cold Fun rock to jump off of Highly recommend

The Treasure Of Santa Rosa!! "Blue Hole appears in the midst of the desert like a great blue gem. (Agua Negra Chiquita) Once known as Blue Lake, it is one of seven sister lakes connected underground by a vast system of water. This wonder defines Santa Rosa even as it seems to defy the surrounding red mesas. Born of a geological phenomenon called the Santa Rosa sink, the place is magic--as water always is in a land of little rain. Nomadic tribes, cowboys driving their dogies cross the Pecos, and Americans going west on the Mother Road, Route 66, all sought respite here." From The Santa Rosa Blue Hole Website - https://www.santarosabluehole.com I have driven through the area several times over the years and was always curious about what the Blue Hole was really like. Typically Santa Rosa has always been a place for a quick bite or a bathroom break while on the road. On this sunny hot June day, as I was on my way to Roswell I decided to check it out. There is another lake nearby, a man-made lake in which you can go swimming and the water is apparently a little warmer, but the Blue Hole is a wonder upon itself. As you drive into the area there are people on the road to collect your money for entrance and a shack too you can stop in and pay by credit card. The parking lot has ample parking. As you approach the Blue Hole you will see diving trailers and many people milling about half or fully dressed in diving gear. You can pay for diving lessons on the spot and rent diving gear to go into the Blue hole. As you approach you will see the sign and walk up to the area. It's only about 60 feet across but the water, as they say, is pure blue, and when the water is calm you can make out the silhouettes of divers 30-40 feet down. This place is truly a wonder, to see such pristine water. On my visit that day there were hundreds of people but mostly brave and curious teenagers actually jumping into the water from the cliff. On the other side of the Blue hole, they have a small staircase for those a little more apprehensive. I myself being a veteran of many cold icy Canadian lakes and cool oceans decided, what the heck, I'll give it a shot, so up I went to the cliff and jumped in. Oh yes, it was cold, especially the first few seconds, but it was a very hot and sunny day out so I was able to warm up very quickly. This is one of those 'Who knew" kinda places that are just amazing being in the middle of the desert and mountains. I hung around for about 90 minutes and jumped in a few more times. I have to say this is quite the place. If you're ever in the Santa Rosa area this place is a must, it just one of the many treasures that make New Mexico a very special place.

Since Blue Hole is right next to the Wibit recreation area, I am leaving this review for both places. You can't beat the price for so much fun and frolic! What a great way to spend a day with family and friends. This was a blast folks, and the perfect solution to beat those scorching summer temperatures. Head out of town and plan to arrive by 10am, bring shading equipment (canopies, etc) and camping chairs and your coolers, (even saw some folks bring their grill and crockpots for frito pies) and park yourselves for the day. $10 a person (height requirement for the wibit inflatable obstacle course, but not required for swimming, diving and use of the peddle boats). There is a $5 parking fee which covers both the Wibit and Blue Hole. Unlimited swimming, use of the diving board, fun slide, and so much laughs and entertainment trying to make your way through the wibit and climbing the big polar mountain. Price includes use of the peddle boats and paddle board (SUP anyone?). Don't forget the sunscreen!! Before you head home, make sure to stop by the Blue Hole, crystal clear spring water, but it's best enjoyed if you have the courage to jump off the ledge and enjoy the crisp water! Nothing really more to see, but absolutely refreshing to take a swim in!

Nice quaint place to get your scuba diving on over your sweet little vacay or just to spend the day. Just two hours away from Albuquerque it's a quick easy drive and it will totally be worth it. Nice family place for kiddos good for adults to hang out. The water is crystal blue and it's 60 feet wide and average the water is 62° it's great go check out the blue hole in Santa Rosa!!!

Half-way between Amarillo, TX and Albuquerque, NM, the Big Blue is literally, a "hole in the ground" that is great place for a detour to rest, check out, and cool off. Bring your swim trunks and jump in! Just be prepared to be "chilled" as the water is a cool 61 degrees fed from a natural spring. A good distraction from the monotonous drive, it's a good break and "cool" place to see

This is a must-see attraction for Santa Rosa with cool temperature water and a couple of platform options for jumping in. There are restrooms on site so you can change before taking a dip. There is a $5 fee to park but this works for both the Blue Hole and the local Park Lake.

I've been going to Blue Hole since I was a kid. Back in the day, this was a crazy blue oasis in a dry field that you only knew about if you knew the owner of the property. It gained popularity over the years, but now it seems to have been commercialized like many other places. There is now a visitors center, a stage for bands, a covered picnic area and bathrooms. The install of steps into the pool is nice, but at 61 degrees F. you're better off just taking the plunge! You can jump from the rocks on the higher side or a tamer hop from the low side. People also jump from the wall along the top which is not recommended but not banned either. There are also life guards on duty. The water is cold and crystal clear. At about 80 feet deep, it's popular for scuba diving. Blue Hole is pretty small; don't expect to swim around unfettered by other visitors and divers. The pool spills over into a small stream that small kiddos will enjoy wading around in although it's just as cold as the pool. Blue Hole is worth a visit if you're in Albuquerque or the surrounding area.

A hidden gem. Blue Hole is a natural spring that scuba divers use to certify. Just looking at it from the parking it's not very impressive because of its size. When we got up close I saw the most clear beautifully blue water and the caves within. A man happened to be walking over at the same time who shared that it's rumored that the caves from Carlsbad likely connect hundreds of miles to this little spring. Besides scuba diving you can walk or jump in- a couple of kids were playing in it while we were there. :)

The blue hole is not what I had imagined. It's not free either. The water is very clear and you can see the rock ledges just underneath the surface. It looks like a nice place to scuba or just swim. I would have liked to be able to sit on the edge and put my feet in without actually getting all the way in. Overall it reminded me of a public pool that was set in a beautiful location. Great for young people looking to play in water.

This stop on the way from Amarillo Texas to Albuquerque NM was worth it! For ten bucks we got to swim, cool off, and take a break from the road. If you're adventurous and think that leaping off a rock 20 feet into a 61 degree natural swimming hole sounds awesome, then stop here. If not, there isn't much to see and might not be work the stop. But we loved it!

How cool is this? Or should I write, how warm is this? Because they say the water is a constant 61 degrees year round. Cool, huh? Or... warm? You get the idea! If you're rollin' through Santa Rosa, slow that roll and take in this site, it's pretty cool/warm. 81' deep! Once again, how cool is that? It's now on my scuba diving site list; I will let you know what lurks beneath... if I survive, that is.

Nothing used to be tore up but now all of its natural surrounding beauty is gone Now it about the almighty dollar. This used to be the best place to go but now it's just a 3 Ring Circus!

It really is clear blue water! There are steps to walk right into the water, plus it's deep enough to jump off of the rocks along the side. Really well kept place with picnic tables. It's not really big so during better weather it might be crowded but for sure worth the stop.

We pass through Santa Rosa often and finally stopped to see the Blue Hole phenomenon. We only dipped our feet in since I was alone with my 1 year old. It was definitely refreshing and very blue! It's a pretty little place to stop and see. We went right when it opened and there were only a couple of people there. There's ample parking and picnic tables too.

It is a hole, with water....but it's beautiful. We saw a sign for this off an exit of 1-40 and decided to stop. Glad we did, it was quite beautiful. We stayed for a while and admired it. It was crystal clear blue, and it was fall so the orange tree reflected in the water. We walked all around the area, saw some neat stuff. I've never been out west, it felt very...desert-y. Very cool. It's really hard to find with the lack of signs, and because it's very small and hard to see from the road. Keep looking, stop 15 minutes and enjoy part of nature.

The only reason that you go here, is to go diving (though apparently tour companies also drop people off to go swimming as well). Know that they charge you to park here each day, and they also charge you to go diving here as well. That being said, for some place that collects money on a regular basis, you'd imagine that they'd take better care of their facilities, but they don't. The restrooms next to the Blue Hole weren't maintained, cleaned, or nice. In addition to that, the staff is not proactive, they didn't open the gates until 8:30am or so, and to get a diving permit, you had to wander around until you were able to find an unlocked door, and hope that someone was manning the desk. For a place that injects a significant amount of money into the town, one would think that they would better maintain the location.

This is one of the places that you don't want to wait to see till you get old or make it part of your bucket list. You really would enjoy to visit now while you are young so that you can jump from the top of the hill and dive into the beautiful crystal clears waters of the blue hole. Water is about 55 degrees down there, but is worth the shot!

Absolutely loved it! This is a once in a lifetime place. Had fun jumping into the freezing water.

Blue Hole was really beautiful and had clean water, looking so enticing to dive in. Although they open at 8am, we unfortunately came during reserved hours for divers. We were just passing through and hoping to get a quick dip in the morning, but the pool was not open to regular swimmers until 10am. Best bet is to call and see first! We ended up paying the $5 to park and see the pool for a few minutes; after dipping my toes in it is definitely chilly! Go on a hot summer day.

Extremely unique spot in this arid part of the country. Worth a quick stop. It was very busy on an extremely hot October afternoon. The bathrooms cannot be recommended, I'm sorry to report.

We had a good time at the blue hole, short time but fun. It was about 6.30pm when we arrived, no fee for parking or to get in, pretty much no one there. We got our numbers mixed up and thought it was 81F year round...its 61F...we were prepared for a swim!! It was a little cold breezy yesterday too, but we still jumped in!! The scary part was not seeing the bottom. Obviously from the sign you know it's deep but it's still scary not seeing how far away the ground is. The water was cold but if we had of roughed it out and stayed in it would have been ok but we jumped straight out and got dry.

A fun stop on a long trip! Loved the photo op - wish it had been warmer so we could've taken the plunge!

My boyfriend and I went there last summer we were on a week long road trip and saw the signs from the highway and figured "why not". It was one of the best parts of our trip!!! We are planning on going back in a few weeks but this time we will do both sides! Just an FYI the water in the blue hole is crazy cold so be prepared lol.

Awesome place to swim and scuba dive. Right off the freeway. I'm stopping here every time I come through.

While it's interesting enough, it's not large, it's not worth a long travel to go see or paying a large hotel bill for a night. My opinion.

Well...it's a hole...with some water...tada! In all seriousness, I did think this was beautiful and I was glad we stopped, but it's tiny and a little less magnificent than I thought it was going to be. I honestly have no decent photos from this spot since pictures just can't show the depth or the blueness of the water. Also, they have some really ugly looking buoys floating in it because it's a popular scuba diving spot, so that really takes away from it's natural beauty (I understand that they need to be there for the safety of the divers, but boo). You can take the plunge if you're feeling adventurous, but don't be an idiot and jump from any of the side ledges like we saw some people doing. They have a nice high rock that you can safely dive from instead. Be smart and use that - unless concussions are your thing.

We didn't get in but stopped to check it out and get some pics, looks like great fun! Note that there is a $5 parking fee, even if you stay just a few mins for pics.

My friends and I came to Blue Hole to get our open water diving certification here. Because we came during the cold day, the water is also cold as well - brrrrrrr! That said, we saw some fishes in the hole. This is a piece of wonder here that we have this natural water hole in the desert. Hopefully my friends and I will come back here again because it's about 2 hour drive from Albuquerque.

Random hole in the ground around 80 feet deep with dark blue water in it. If you were diving it may be alright but as a tourists I'd rather watch the desert animals feast off eeachother if lucky. If it was a really hot day I would swim here but I can imagine the whole town of sante rosa here swimming in this 10 foot wide blue pond. Not the greatest of sites but if your bored AF then do it.

Love going to blue hole, even though the water is chilly it is always a great time. This weekend they had billy the kid bike rally happening. My kids were able to watch some divers go down, which was cool since my kids had never seen divers.

Blue Hole is one of the better spots in the 5 state area to get your scuba open water dives done. The clarity is excellent and the water is completely replaced every 6 hours or so due to a constant 3000 gallons per minute of inflow. Water temps are in the low 60s year round which means it's wetsuit weather if you're planning on sustained exposure. You can probably get away with a swimsuit if it's hot outside. There is lots of parking which is nice. The scuba shop is literally next door and great for tank fills and other services.

Got there early people were leaving from an early swim and the scuba divers were doing their thing. Trucks were there it looked like they are building a parking lot especially for The Blue Hole. I think it's not so much of a secret anymore.

Even if you are in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do, drive past the Blue Hole. It is little and not much, but very blue. It is one of the only places they certify new scuba divers in NM. If you are going for that, ok. Otherwise, give it a pass.

Amazing little swimming hole! The water is quite frigid but very worth the swim and I would highly recommend bring googles or a mask and fins. When the suns is out you easily dry off in a few minutes. Close parking and fairly clean changing rooms. Diving permits are required.

I have to admit after all the years of hearing about getting dive certification at Blue Hole. I was a little surprised; it is blue but it is just a hole. However, after walking around it and seeing the fish come to the surface and also knowing there is a cave deep in the abyss makes it a place I am glad to have visited.

We stopped here for a while to check out the hole and just relax. There are some nice animals walking around here and it's just a peaceful environment overal. Well worth the stop if you need some time to relax!

This place is awesome and very unique. The water is about 60 degrees, and cold. Great for snorkeling, and always an interesting crowd here.

so fun!! but the water has VERY cold! if the water had been warmer or it would've been hotter outside, i could've stayed and jumped off the rocks all day! it is a neat spot regardless, but brace yourself for that 62 degree water.