Address: 50 Los Banos Drive
Pricing: $12 to $24 to use the mineral pools.
Phone: 505-583-2233
Hours: Hot Springs open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily
How To Get There:
From Albuquerque Sunport
From the airport, take I-25 north to 84/US-285 north. When you get close to Santa Fe, you'll have the option to continue through Santa Fe on 84/US-285 or take the bypass (599). If you don't want to stop in Santa Fe, take the bypass. Continue north into Espanola (599 will take you right back to 84/US-285 once you pass Santa Fe). Once in Espanola, turn left at the Dandy Burger, go over the bridge and then right onto 84/US-285. About 6 miles out, you'll see a Chevron Station on the right. Just past this is US-US-285 north (84 continues into Abiquiu and Chama). Turn right onto US-285 north and 16.7 miles later you'll reach Ojo Caliente. Turn left just after mile marker 353, onto 414 that is the entrance to the Springs. Caliente is approximately a quarter mile in, at the end of the road.
Parking:Free
Visit Website
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa: A short drive from town to enter a world of relaxation
Jun 1, 2010
With over 140 years of experience helping people relax and rejuvenate, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa is still the only place in the world where visitors can chose from four different types of mineral waters to rejuvenate body and mind.
In addition to the healing waters, Ojo Caliente offers a full array of relaxation. Visitors can enjoy spa treatments, hiking and biking paths that either wind along the cliffs with Cottonwood trees shading the path or lead to ancient ruins, charming lodging, wedding services, yoga, delicious food, a mixture of historical buildings and a quiet atmosphere.
Even before the spa opened as a business in 1868, the springs were used as a place of gathering and healing for thousands of years. Warring tribes are said to have laid down their weapons at the sacred site to rejuvenate and heal. Ruins of pueblos can still be seen in the distance and pottery shards are scattered along the hiking paths. However, it is "bad mojo" to take the shards home with you, warned Laurie Moreau, executive assistant at the spa -- not to mention a federal crime.
Over 100,000 gallons of water per day flow up from a subterranean volcanic aquifer to constantly replenish the 10 pools with water ranging from 80 to 109 degrees. The pools are filled with varying combinations of iron, soda and arsenic minerals to help with different ailments.
The Iron Spring is settled against the cliff with water pouring out through three outlets of the water feature embedded in the cliff and more iron-rich water bubbling up through the pebbles lining the bottom of the pool. Iron is believed to help the blood and immune system, to prevent fatigue and to promote healthy skin.
Moreau said the Iron spring is her favorite because she loves to get in and dig her feet into the pebbles and feel the warm water bubble up between her toes.
The Soda Spring is an indoor pool with rock walls and skylights comprising the ceiling. At night, the dark surroundings, muted sounds and hot water make it easy to forget stresses from the outside world. This water is believed to relieve digestive problems and symptoms of arthritis.
The Arsenic Spring is the hottest with temperatures close to 109 degrees. This water is believed to help with arthritis, stomach ulcers, and skin conditions. If you get too warm in the Arsenic Spring, the swimming pool is nearby with an average temperature of about 80 degrees. The swimming pool is the only pool where children age 12 and under can enjoy the waters -- and even there, voices must be kept at a whisper.
The mud pool is open during the day in the summer. Guests can slather mud all over their body and lie in the sun until the clay dries, pulling toxins from their body as it tightens. "It leaves you feeling really refreshed," Moreau said. "It really does pull toxins off and makes your skin softer."
As evening approaches, the private pools are the place to be. Each pool is enclosed behind a 6 foot fence with the cliff providing the barrier on the fourth side. Next to the pool, a warm fire glows and crackles in the kiva fireplace.
HelloMetro Tip: Ojo Caliente offers various lodging choices to accommodate most budgets. From rooms in the historic hotel, to Cliffside suites with private pools enclosed in the yard or houses large enough for twelve people to share -- everyone can find a place to rest after a relaxing day of hiking or soaking. "On the weekends, a room in the hotel is $119," Moreau said.
- by Julie Medina, Albuquerque Reporter for HelloMetro
(Click to leave a message)
Julie MedinaJulie Medina has experience as a reporter at the Albuquerque Journal and has written freelance articles for the Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque the Magazine, New Mexico Magazine and New Mexico Kids Magazine. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in print journalism from the University of New Mexico in 2008. She has lived in Albuquerque since 1984 and believes it is best to remember to play like a tourist in your own hometown so you don't forget the vast culture around you.
