Camping in the Snowies

Camping in the Snowies

Friday, September 19, 2014

Ojo Caliente NM


Ojo Caliente is a small town that has thermal springs which are sacred to the indigenous people who populated this area before the Spanish came. Now the Ojo Caliente Spa is a big business.


We are camped at the RV park at the right side of this map. Our campsite has good shade provided by large cottonwood trees. The pad is level hard packed dirt and we have electricity and water. This morning we took a hike up above the springs and river. There is supposed to be ruins of some kind along this trail but all we found were lots of potsherds. 

Dave on the trail. 

A look over the valley. 

Potsherds. Most were this color but I saw one that was a red color. I saw a little shiny green snake with a black head and a red underside. It was as big around as a pencil and maybe a foot long. I tried for a picture but didn't get a good one before he disappeared in the rocks. 

This is a picture of the main pool which was at 89 degrees. The soda pool was a little warmer. The iron pool was at 103 and the arsenic pool at 104. There were 8 public pools including a mud pool where you could coat your body with mud and bake in the sun. After baking you turned on a spigot which dumped warm water into a bucket with holes in the bottom so you could wash off the mud.
We spent a few hours here soaking and sitting in the sun/shade. Very relaxing. Then back to the campground for some wine and meatballs and spaghetti. Tomorrow, on south and west through the Los Alamos area, Jemez area, Bernallilo and south to the El Malpais. 






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