Albuquerque - American Southwest - page 266

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JEMEZ SPRINGS
Getting to this village along the Jemez River is half the fun. You'll drive the Jemez Moun-
tain Trail into the Jemez Mountains, a trip that can provide a relaxing retreat and/or
an exhilarating adventure. In the area are historic sites and relaxing hot springs, as well
as excellent stream fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing. You may want to combine
a drive through this area with a visit to Los Alamos and Bandelier National Monument
(see chapter 7).
North of town you'll come to the Soda Dam, a strange and beautiful mineral mass
formed by travertine deposits—minerals that precipitate out of geothermal springs.
Considered a sacred site by Native Americans, it has a gushing waterfall and caves. Dur-
ing the warm months, it's a popular swimming hole.
Jemez State Monument A stop at this small monument takes you on a journey
through the history of the Jemez people. The journey begins in the museum, which tells
the tale of Giusewa, “place of boiling waters,” the original Tewa name of the area. Then
it moves out into the mission ruins, whose story is told on small plaques that juxtapose
the first impressions of the missionaries against the reality of the Jemez life. The mis-
sionaries saw the Jemez people as barbaric and set out to civilize them. Part of the process
involved hauling up river stones and erecting 6-foot-thick walls of the Mission of San
José de los Jemez (founded in 1621) in the early 17th century. Excavations in 1921-22
and 1935-37 unearthed this massive complex, through which you may wander. You
enter through a broad doorway to a room that once held elaborate fresco paintings, the
room tapering back to the nave, with a giant bell tower above. The setting is startling—
next to a creek, with steep mountains rising behind.
18160 NM 4 (P.O. Box 143), Jemez Springs. & 505/829-3530. www.nmmonuments.org. Admission $3
adults, free for children 17 and under. Wed-Mon 8:30am-5pm. Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiv-
ing, and Christmas. From Albuquerque, take NM 550 (NM 44) to NM 4 and then continue on NM 4 for
about 18 miles.

9

Where to Stay & Dine
Cañon del Rio-Riverside Inn “Eventually the watcher joined the river, and
there was only one of us. I believe it was the river,” wrote Norman Maclean in A River
Runs Through It. That was my experience while sitting on a cottonwood-shaded bench at

Historic Culture with a Hint of Honey
Jemez Pueblo, home to more than 3,000, no longer welcomes visitors except on
selected days. However, visitors can get a taste of the Jemez culture at the Wala-
towa Visitor Center, on NM 4, 8 miles north of the junction with US 550 ( & 877/
733-5687 or 505/834-7235; www.jemezpueblo.org). A museum and shop high-
light the center, which also offers information about hiking and scenic tour
routes. While in the area, you may encounter Jemez people sitting under rama-
das (thatch-roofed lean-tos) selling home-baked bread, cookies, and pies. If
you're lucky, they may also be making fry bread, which you can smother with
honey for one of New Mexico's more delectable treats.