Truth or Consequences Hot Springs is a mineral-rich thermal spring system in New Mexico whose waters have shaped the town for centuries. Indigenous people used the springs long before outside settlement; the Chiricahua Apache regarded them as a place to pray and as neutral ground, and artifacts from the Mimbres culture have also been found nearby. After early Spanish naming and limited development, bathhouses, hotels, and resorts grew around the artesian waters in the early 20th century, making the town a major hot-springs destination. The basin’s abundant, naturally flowing hot water still supports bathing traditions and geothermal heating, giving the springs lasting importance in the region.