San Antonio Hot Springs, New Mexico: August 2007

Of all the hot springs in the Jemez Mountains we were told that the San Antonio Hot Springs were the most beautiful. Julie and I piled into Ann and Lyn's big honking 350 Ford diesel 4x4 truck and headed out to find the hot springs. The entrance to the San Antonia Hot Springs is on Forest Road 376 off of Rt. 4 high up in the Jemez Mountains. The road in to the hot springs is listed as rough.

The four of us have agreed that this is the roughest neck snapping road we have ever been on. Ever. Once we had entered the road we soon knew that backing up was not an option. Even if we could have backed up the fearless explorers among us -- Julie and Ann -- would have convinced us that forging ahead was worth it. And it was worth it despite a five mile one lane rock strewn road hanging off the edge of the mountain with no guard rails at about two miles an hour rattling our bones and spiking the anxieties of those of us fearing a plunge over the side of a mountain. That would be Lyn and me.

The bone jarring ride ends in an open meadow in a canyon. The road here had pot holes the size of small houses. Once parked there is a short walk to a narrow stream. We chose to avoid the rotting logs and rusty spikes called a bridge and waded the shallow water to the other side. This is followed by a steep hike up the side of the mountain to the hot springs while skirting curious cows. There we found three pools of clear steaming water each cascading into the one below and one person in the largest pool, a man who had passed us 30 minutes earlier on his mountain bike.

The setting at about 8300 feet was spectacular and once we dipped in the steaming water and sat on the rocks eating our lunch we knew we were in a very special place. Ann and Julie want to reurn next year to commenorate the trip. Lyn and Paula will sit that one out at the camp. Sometimes it is sweeter to savor a singular memory rather than repeat the experience again. It is never as good the second time around.

Fenton Lake State Park, New Mexico: August 2007

We met our friends, Ann and Lyn, at Fenton Lake State Park for a three day camping trip. Ann and Lynn pull a beautiful 25' Airstream with their two dogs, Peach and Casey. The State Park is high up in the Jemez Mountains about 115 miles from Santa Fe. We chose to drive to the state park by dropping down on I25 to Bernallio and then moving west on 550 and then north on Rt. 4 to the park. We avoided going through Los Alamos and taking Rt. 4 that way because Paula has a major fear of mountain passes with endless switchbacks and no guardrails. It is a spectacular drive we are told but our alternate route was pretty special once out of the Jemez Pueblo area going north on Rt. 4.

The State Park has five hook up sites and many dry camping sites. Of those five hookups I would not recommend site 1 or 2. They are right on top of one another. The other sites -- 3, 4, and 5 -- offer some space between them. When we were there the park was quiet and lightly attended. We can imagine that it is packed during high season. I would opt for the dry camping sites the next time we camp there. And we will camp there again. Those sites are spread out among the pines, are fingered with hiking trails and sit close to a small babbling stream. The downside for some campers could be the large number of cows in the campground. New Mexico is free range country and cattle do lumber throughout the park. The area is set on a small fishing lake with views of alpine covered mountains (unfortunately the mountains are scarred in places from a two year old fire). There are many hiking trails within the park and the area outside the park is loaded with more hiking opportunities.

We had five dogs between Ann and Lyn and Julie and myself. Only two -- Peach and Lola -- got along. They are running sisters. Julie and I decided that our next long trip in October would include only one of our three dogs. Reno, the old girl, gets to go. Our rig, a Winnebago View, cannot handle two adults and three large dogs for more than two camping nights.