Set amid the beautiful red rock landscape of New Mexico, Jemez Springs is a small village with a population of just 400 people about an hour’s drive north of Albuquerque. Visitors have been flocking here since the early 1800s to soak in the town’s mineral-rich waters. Today, people come to visit its numerous museums, art galleries, and monuments, many of which are located in old adobe structures.

Jemez Springs is surrounded by the 1.6 million-acre Santa Fe National Forest, making it a great base for exploring the park’s 1,000 miles of hiking trails. The park is also home to a number of rivers popular with anglers. For an outstanding afternoon drive, Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway will guide you past some of the area’s top natural attractions, including the Valle Caldera National Preserve — an ideal spot for hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing. If you’re lucky, you may even spot some of the local wildlife such as elk or wild turkeys.

The closest airport to Jemez Springs is Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), around 75 minutes away. There is no public transport to Jemez Springs, so the best option is to rent a car at the airport and drive. Otherwise, you can take a series of buses from downtown Albuquerque that get you into town in just over two hours. Once you arrive in Jemez Springs, you can walk to most of the main attractions in the village, but you will need a car to reach some of the nearby parks and monuments.

Due to its high altitude and mild climate, you can book a Jemez cabin any month of the year. During the summer, days are long and sunny, making it the perfect time for exploring the local attractions. In the fall, the tourist crowds begin to thin out as the temperature decreases to where you may want to throw on a light jacket before heading out. Labor Day weekend, Jemez Springs hosts a two-mile-long art walk where local artists showcase and sell their work along Highway 4. It can get quite chilly during the winter, so make sure to bring a warm coat with you and pack plenty of layers. This is a nice time to visit some of the local hot springs. In the spring, temperatures start to heat up again, and this is a particularly great time to visit the nearby national parks before the summer crowds arrive.

Jemez Springs National Historic Landmark

This landmark is home to two historic sites: the ruins of the 500-year-old Native American village of Giusewa, built by the Walatowa, and the 17th-century San Jose de los Jemez church, which once served as a Spanish colonial mission. The ruins are considered some of the best in the southwest and shouldn’t be missed.

Soda Dam

Located just two miles north of Jemez Springs, this large 7,000-year-old hot spring dam is a fascinating geological structure made of calcium carbonate. The dam stretches more than 300 feet across the Jemez River Valley and can be easily accessed from State Highway 4.

San Antonio Hot Springs

Although Jemez Springs is known for its numerous hot springs, the San Antonio Hot Springs stand out from the competition. Tucked into the side of the San Antonio Mountains, the springs are about a six-mile hike from the nearest main road. They are well worth the effort as the views of the pine-covered mountains along the way and up at the top are truly spectacular.