4 Corners - Onward to Jemez Springs

What state was I in now? I couldn't really remember. Arizona or Oh Yeah ! I'm in New Mexico !
I had hot springs on my mind and headed towards a tiny pueblo called Jemez.  It is one of 19 federally recognized Pueblos in New Mexico with a population of 3,400. I love these off beat places.

 

My kind of high desert, small town with character. The hot springs were closed (?) but I was hungry and wandered over to the Los Ojos Restaurant and Saloon. Upon my first steps walking in, I was in love with place. This place was established in 1947 and serves up cold beer and delicious homemade New Mexican cuisine.


I sat at the bar and chatted with the friendly bartender and relished in the Western décor and atmosphere. Filled my belly with green Chile enchiladas and continued my drive with Shady Jr flapping with his Xmas hat towards Los Alamos.

4 Corners Road Trip - Chaco Culture Historical Site

From Utah I traveled to New Mexico in a few hours and headed towards the remote area of Chaco Culture National Historical Site of the National Park Service. I have wanted to go here for years, but well, it's a bit out of the way and you need some time. There was some recent rain and had to cross a wash that was flowing with water but arrived to the mysterious ruins in the morning.  

You could spend eons here exploring the ancient ruins where thousands of people lived between 850 and 1250 AD. The construction and architecture is the finest around.  What was at the heart of this center?  Pueblo descendants say that Chaco was a special gathering place where many peoples and clans converged to share their ceremonies, traditions, and knowledge.