Finding inspiration is easy in Jemez Springs with the many outdoor opportunities that exist at little to no cost. Surrounded by the Santa Fe National Forest, Jemez Springs is a great locale for hiking, wildlife viewing, photography, hot springs soaking, geocaching, plein air painting, fishing, camping, and cross country skiing. There are at least 10 hiking trails in the area ranging from easy to difficult including: Coyote Call Trail, Obsidian Ridge, east fork of the Jemez River, Jemez Falls near Battleship Rock, Cañon de San Diego Overlook, Alamo Boundary Trail, Valles Grande Trail, forest road #181 to Water Canyon and others within the boundaries of Valles Caldera National Preserve.

There are five main campgrounds along the Jemez Mountain Trail (San Antonio, Jemez Falls, Redondo, Paliza, and Vista Linda) along with numerous picnic spots providing scenic and quiet locations. With the proximity of the village to the campgrounds, access to lodging facilities is easy when a cool night calls for a warm shower. The Jemez River that weaves its way through the Village is arguably one of the best and most beautiful places in which to fish. The Jemez waters are frequently stocked with rainbow trout and many of its tributaries such as the East Fork, Guadalupe River and Cebolla River offer a great supply of brown trout in addition to the streams in the Santa Fe National Forest just a couple of miles north of Jemez Springs.