This month we continue our series on New Mexico day drives by exploring Jemez Springs (pronounced HEE-mez locally). About an hour's drive from Albuquerque, it offers hot springs, mountain forests with hiking trails, alpine meadows, a river with trout, and a rich history. The Jemez Mountain Trail Scenic Byway travels along Route 4, following the Jemez River, and provides some great views of the Red Rocks and Jemez Mountains. Route 4 takes you past the Jemez Pueblo, where some of the land is restricted from hiking due to its sacred connection with the Jemez people.
There are RV camping spots all along the Scenic Byway. The East Fork of the Jemez River at Valles Caldera National Preserve has brown trout and rainbow trout, but, of course, you need a valid New Mexico fishing license.
The little village of Jemez Springs has lodging, some with access to the hot springs. There are several restaurants as well. One in particular is Los Ojos Restaurant and Saloon, which is about as “western saloon” as you can get. (We mean that in a good way.) The hot springs bring a lot of visitors to Jemez Springs. They vary from back-country rustic, requiring a hike, to luxurious retreats.
Just a short distance further on Route 4 is the Jemez Historic Site. State operated, it is the 16th-century ruins of the Gíusewa Pueblo (a Jemez word describing the hot springs), and the 17th-century Spanish colonial mission called San José de los Jémez. There are two kivas on the site.
The Gíusewa Pueblo is believed to have been established in the second half of the 15th century and was first described by Spanish explorers in 1581. The pueblo was abandoned in 1680, when the Jemez participated in the Pueblo Rebellion, which evicted the Spanish from the region until 1692. The Spanish left in a hurry, leaving many of their horses behind, and influencing much of the Western Native culture with equestrian resources. Pueblo Independence Day, celebrating the victory over the Spanish, is held annually. There is also the Jemez Pueblo Walatowa Visitor Center, where there are displays of local history.
Every year around the holidays, the ruins are decorated with hundreds of farolitos in an event called “Lights of Giusewa.” There is Pueblo music and dancing, as well as arts & crafts and food vendors.
Jemez Springs is an underappreciated destination in New Mexico. There are many reasons to explore the area...history, spas, wilderness adventure, and a great scenic drive through a spectacular Southwestern landscape. If you haven’t been there yet, it is definitely worth the short trip. Here’s the website: https://jemezsprings.org/