Hey Guys!
This post continues our journey through New Mexico.
Read Day 1 here, Day 2 here & Day 3 here and Click here to see links to all of my blog posts
Today, we had planned on visiting Bandelier National Monument however, due to the government shutdown, we had to move to plan B!
Tip: Bandelier National Monument is approx. 1 hr from Santa Fe….another great option would be Taos, it’s 1.5 hrs from Santa Fe. A few other places that may be of interest and are only 30 mins from Santa Fe are Tsankawi Prehistoric Site, Anderson Overlook, White Rock Overlook and Oppenheimer House.
This morning, before we found out that Bandelier was closed, we headed that way.
The scenery on the way there was breathtaking!
We saw so many unique rock formations!
Arriving to Bandelier
Yep, only to find out it was closed! 🙁
So, we headed to our next choice which was the Jemez Springs area.
Jemez Springs was another hours drive from Bandelier.
Our route took us along the Jemez Trail National Scenic Byway.
The views along this drive were gorgeous!
We stopped for a quick picture at a small overlook.
Continuing our drive
The Jemez Springs Scenic Byway winds through volcanic mountains, red rock canyons, ancient indigenous sites, and alpine forests, creating a drive that blends geology, history and outdoor adventure.
The byway was designated a National Scenic Byway in 1998 and showcases some of the most diverse landscapes in the American Southwest.
The byway is about 132-163 miles depending on the route you take and takes about 3 hours to drive without stopping.
Read reviews here & Click here to read about the stops you can do along this drive
Tip: The highlights along this drive are Valles Caldera National Preserve, a huge volcanic crater and Cabezon Peak, a dramatic volcanic plug rising from the desert plains. There’s also the Gilman Tunnels which are rock tunnels that were blasted in the 1920’s for a logging railroad.
We couldn’t believe all of the beautiful fall colors in the trees!
I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t expecting to see fall colors in New Mexico!
After driving alongside this incredible canyon, we found a place to pullover so we could take a few pictures.
The views were spectacular!
Continuing our drive
We loved seeing all of the coniferous trees!
As we were driving, we spotted several elk so we pulled over to take a few pictures!
Valles Caldera National Preserve (summer/fall) and around Jemez Springs/Bandeller (winter).
Large herds congregate in the Valle Grande during autumn rut, while winter migration brings them down to lower elevations, including areas near Jemez Springs, often visible at dawn or dusk.
Read here about the animals that can be found in this area…you would be surprised!
There was hardly anyone else on this drive and that made it much more enjoyable and peaceful!
We spotted a sign that said we were now entering the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Valles Caldera National Preserve is a volcanic crater that lies atop a dormant supervolcano.This caldera, or volcanic crater, is a circular depression that is 12 to 15 miles in diameter with walls that stretch from a few hundred to over 2,000 feet above its floor.
The preserve is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams…..this is my kind of place!
As we continued our drive, the fall colors became more abundant, painting the mountainsides in shades of gold, orange and red!
It was so beautiful!
True to form, I couldn’t resist taking a picture of every single tree along the way! 😉
Sadly, you could see the remnants of past fires that had destroyed many trees.
We then passed a huge meadow …this area offers a range of activities from camping, to hiking, fishing, horseback riding, exploring historic cabins and prehistoric sites, mountain biking, ranger-led activities, and more.
There were several pull offs along the expansive meadow where you could view elk….this area has the 2nd largest elk population in New Mexico.
You can see several elk in this picture if you zoom in!
Sadly, this area was closed off due to the government shutdown! 🙁
We were now entering the Jemez National Recreation Area.
The Jemez National Recreation Area is a 57,650 acre scenic, volcanic landscape featuring red rock canyons, mesas and hot springs.
The views through this area were so beautiful.
Lots of beautiful fall colors dotted the mountainsides.
Around every curve was another breathtaking view!
This area definitely had the most color we had seen so far!
After spotting a grove of aspen trees, we pulled over to take a quick photo.
We then continued our drive where we spotted a pullover for the San Diego Canyon Overlook so we made another quick stop to check it out.
The walk to the overlook was on a paved trail that was maybe 2/10th’s of a mile one way.
The overlook provided views of the surrounding canyon and forested landscape but the views were mostly obscured by the trees.
Tip: There were bathrooms and picnic tables located here
After leaving the overlook, we continued our drive where we passed a sign for Fenton Lake.…we had thought about checking it out but decided to pass.
Continuing our drive
Our next stop would be Jemez Springs Soda Dam.
There’s a parking lot right next to the dam.
Soda Dam is a natural rock formation. It is a unique geological feature formed by mineral rich hot springs that have deposited layers of calcium carbonate over time. The result is a beautiful and intricate rock structure that resembles a dam.
The dam is approximately 50 feet tall, 300 feet in length and 50 ft wide at the base. It estimated to be 7,000 yrs old.
There’s a small waterfall that flows from the base of the dam.
The feature reminded me of similar rock formations that we had seen in Yellowstone National Park.
Of course, we had to take our pictures in front of the cool looking rocks! 😉
We climbed up inside the rocks to check out all of the cool formations in the rocks.
Views downstream from the dam
Views looking towards the parking lot
Soda Dam is surrounded by 15 springs with a maximum temperature reaching as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit! That’s 16-18 degrees hotter than the average hot tub!
As you probably guessed it, there is no swimming allowed here.
However, we did spot a small area that appeared to be where people would soak in the hot springs.
And we spotted this face on the rock near the “soaking” spot.
After leaving here, we continued our drive.
We spotted the Battleship Rock Picnic Site so decided to stop and have lunch.
Nothing better than leftover pizza! 😉
After lunch, we walked over to check out Battleship Rock.
Battleship Rock is a 200 ft volcanic tuff formation located in the Jemez Mountains. It resembles the front of a battleship…
Tip: It’s known as the trailhead for the 4-mile roundtrip hike to McCauley Hot Springs.
After checking out the rock, we headed to the Jemez Falls trailhead.
The trailhead can be found at the Jemez Falls Campground about 15 mins from the Battleship Rock Picnic area.
Tip: There are lots of hiking trails in this area
The hike to the waterfall is only 0.8 miles roundtrip and the trail is flat so most anyone can hike it.
Arriving to the waterfall
With a drop of 70 ft, Jemez Falls is the highest waterfall in the Jemez Mountains.
The falls spill over a dark volcanic rock, framed by warm tones of yellow, rust and fading green.
The colors of fall were just beginning to make their appearance.
The falls were beautiful and so peaceful….we were the only ones there so that made it much more enjoyable!
After taking our pictures, we headed back to our car.
Our next stop would be the Jemez Historic Site which is 20 mins from the Jemez Falls Campground.
Unfortunately, it was closed due to the government shutdown!! 🙁
So, I had to take pictures from the gate.
The site includes the stone remnants of a 700 yr old village and the San Jose de los Jemez church dating to 1621! The village was built in the narrow San Diego Canyon by the ancestors of the present day people of Jemez Pueblo.
Read reviews here
Tip: Purchase tickets here …they are $7 for adults and free for children 16 and under
Directly across from the ruins was a beautiful church called, Mary Mother of Priests Church.
The church was built in 1962 on the site of an old hotel.
We then headed to our next stop, Spence Hot Springs.
On our way, we drove through the very small town of Jemez Springs.
There were a few restaurants, bakery, hot springs, & gas station.
After a few minutes of driving, we arrived to the parking lot for the hot springs.
The hike to the springs is about 1/2 mile …maybe a bit less. It’s one of the easiest hot springs hikes you will find in this area.
The trail was a bit rocky and can be muddy & slippery after a rain.
The trail took us down into a canyon where we had to cross a small, wooden bridge.
Arriving to the hot springs
The hot springs are tucked into the cliffs above a little canyon with gorgeous views!
There were a few people soaking in the springs but it wasn’t overly crowded.
We took off our shoes and climbed into the springs.
The water is only about 95 degrees but there is a small cave you can go into where the water was a bit warmer.
The springs are not very big so there’s really only room for a handful of people at a time, which means you might end up waiting your turn or sharing the space a little closer than you planned.
Tip: Go early in the morning or later in the evening to catch it at a quieter moment
A few more shots of the springs
After spending about an hour here, we headed back to our car.
It was late afternoon, so we decided to head back to Santa Fe.
The views along the way were gorgeous!
We passed the huge canyon again and decided to pullover to take a few pictures.
After making our way back to Santa Fe, we found parking and headed back to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi since it was closed the last time we had tried to visit.
The cathedral was built in the late 1800’s in a Romanesque Revival style, with big arches, stone blocks, and twin towers that were actually never completed.
It sits on a site that’s been used for worship since Santa Fe was founded in 1610, which means there’s been some kind of church here for over 400 years!
Even cooler, part of the original 1700’s adobe church is still tucked inside, like a hidden layer of history built right into the walls.
These beautiful doors look old but they were actually installed in the early 2000’s.
The huge bronze panels covered in tiny scenes and symbols feel like a story you can’t quite finish in one glance.
The inside is not flashy or over the top. It’s more like….quietly impressive.
It’s one of those places that feels grand and grounded at the same time.
The stained glass windows, some of them brought over from France, were gorgeous!
After checking out the church, we decided to walk around downtown Santa Fe.
I loved all of the architecture! The adobe buildings were so cool!
The markets and shops were so colorful!
I loved these painted pillars!
We passed the Loretto Chapel on our walk.
The outside of this church is beautiful…..very European, Gothic and totally unexpected in the middle of the Southwest.
It was built in the late 1800’s by the Sisters of Loretto for thier school, and it looks like it belongs somewhere in Paris instead of New Mexico.
I won’t go too deep into it here since I shared more in my last post, but it’s absolutely one of those can’t miss stops if you’re in Santa Fe.
Right beside the church, there was an outdoor market set up with all kinds of Southwest goods –jewelry, art, handmade pieces….the kind of place you “just browse” and somehow end up staying a while. 😉
After walking around for a while, we decided to go find something to eat.
We passed this statue along the way.
We ended up at the Ranch House restaurant.
The restaurant had a very casual vibe….nothing fancy, just comfortable in the best way.
The place is known for their barbecue but it’s not your typical one-note BBQ joint.
They mix Texas style smoked meats with New Mexican flavors. So, you will see brisket and ribs right next to enchiladas and burritos on the menu. 
My hubby ordered the brisket and pulled pork combo and I ordered the steak and shrimp combo.
The food was really good!
Read reviews here
After dinner, we headed back to our Airbnb and spent some time relaxing outside by the fire pit before calling it a night!
Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for Day 5!
Read Day 1 Exploring New Mexico – Day 1 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025
Day 2 here Exploring New Mexico – Day 2 – Albuquerque – Oct 2025
Day 3 here Exploring New Mexico – Day 3 – Albuquerque to Sante Fe – Oct. 2025