Discover mineral hot springs in Jemez Springs, New Mexico
“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.”
Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time
This vintage photo of Jemez Springs captivated my imagination. It brought to mind thoughts of the good old days, back when life was simpler, less hectic, long before smartphones. Could a place like this idyllic country village still exist, locked in a time warp? I truly wanted it to be so. With much anticipation, I planned my visit.
Located about an hour’s drive north of Albuquerque, the village of Jemez Springs is a popular destination along the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway.
Jemez geothermal spring water
Geothermal waters flow down from nearby Valles Caldera National Preserve. Ancestors of today’s Jemez Pueblo (Walatowa) people established settlements in the Jemez Valley; one of the larger settlements was called Guisewa - place of boiling water. It is no surprise, then, that Jemez Springs village takes its name from the presence of geothermal activity in the village surroundings. Hot spring tourism there began in the late 1800’s.
Enthusiasts of a hot spring soak in the wild (count me in) might want to slip into ever popular Spence Hot Spring, or McCauley Warm Springs. Further up the highway (and a 5 mile hike), San Antonio Hot Spring might also be the place for you to explore.
At spots like these, one never knows who one might meet. I chuckle at the remembrance of a 30’s something man (“retired” he proudly proclaimed), reading a geology book while soaking in the soothing water. His goal in life was to visit as many hot springs across the U.S., and the world, as possible. He enumerated for my edification several of his favorite places, and those he couldn’t wait to visit.
Not so daring, but you still want to experience the thermal waters in the area? Take a step back in time and try a private tub soak at the no-frills Jemez Springs town bath house, like folks used to do before the arrival of indoor plumbing. Alternatively, Jemez Springs spa (formerly Giggling Springs) offers outdoor pools in an attractive outdoor setting.
Centuries of calcium carbonate deposits create Soda Dam.
In between soaks, explore the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. October is especially stunning when the cottonwoods along the Jemez River are in full fall splendor. Eye-catching scenery awaits around every curve, and the valley is rich in cultural history. Nearby attractions include: Jemez State Monument-ruins of an ancient pueblo and 17th. Century Spanish mission; Soda Dam-an otherworldly looking mass of mineral deposits from underground springs blocking the river flow; and Battleship Rock-a sheer cliff rising above the landscape like the prow of a mighty ship.
Further east on Hwy. 4 lies Valles Caldera National Preserve (one of the world’s six super volcanos). Depending upon the season, you can hike, snowshoe, or cross country ski through expansive grasslands where herds of elk roam in an ancient, collapsed crater.
Ladder into ancient cave dwelling.
The gem of the Byway is Bandelier National Monument. Walking the Frijoles Canyon loop trail, I let my mind wander, imagining what life must have been like for the ancestors of the Puebloan people who established permanent settlements here as far back as 1150 BCE. At Bandelier, you can be a kid again, climbing ladders and scrambling into cave dwellings. Allow two hours just to sample the Monument; a full day is not out of the question.
With Jemez Springs as a base, you can explore the Jemez Mountain Trail as a day trip from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, or as an overnight outing in one of the most scenic parts of the state. Either way, you can’t go wrong. You will surely want to return.
Jemez Springs today.
Some sixty years have now passed since the vintage scene was frozen in time. The cottonwood tree still stands, minus a few limbs, but much grander in scale; the wall is reconfigured to accommodate its expanded girth. The road is now paved, and the gas station repurposed. As for the boys in the old photo sitting on the wall playing guitar (look closely, you can see them wearing white T-shirts in the shade of the tree)….well, I’m told by a shopkeeper that a few still live here.
