Day 8 - Jemez Trail and Santa Fe

Today we are will drive along the Jemez Trail and will finish the day in Santa Fe.  Along the road, the overpasses are adorned with native art. 

On our way to our first stop we pass countryside that is very rugged and could be part of any western movie. 

We started, after getting on route 4 heading to Las Alamos, coming to more buttes and some stark formations. 

We stopped just outside of the town of White Rock to visit the White Rock Canyon and overlook.  As with most of the area, the views are quite impressive.  That is the Rio Grande river cutting through the canyon.

While on the Canyon rim trail, Carmen was able to take a picture of cactus that look like stick men. 

Speaking of Stick men, here I am waving to the camera.  I’m usually on the other side of the camera.  

Ah ha!  I finally get picture of an animal for the blog, even if is is a member of the squirrel family.  Haven't seen a lizard yet, but we will be in the desert area soon, so I'm optimistic. 

Continuing along the Jemez Trail we stopped at the Valles Caldera, an extinct volcano that has collapsed.  You can see the grass lands on the floor of the caldera. 

Another view of the Caldera.  When I got back to the car, I looked at the elevation we were at and found it to read 8742 feet.

Across the road from the caldera was this gorgeous stand of Aspens in their fall finery. 

While still on route 4 outside of Las Alamos, we stopped at Jemez Falls.  Hiking a quarter-mile trail to the falls at 8700 feet for a couple of people who now live at 11 feet above sea level is not difficult since it was a good trail.  But the hike back up was not an easy task.  But we get to the falls without incident and was able to get a picture of the Jemez Falls.  I would have had to do some mountain climbing to get the better position of the falls, but this picture will do. 

Here’s Carmen on the hike back to the car.  As you can see, the temperature has been getting warmer.

Besides animals, I haven’t added any flowers to the blog yet, so I’ll just fix that right now.  Lets see, the yellow ones will do. 

Further, along rte 4 just before reaching the town of Jemez Springs, we stopped at the Soda Dam.  The dam, created by the years of mineral deposits, has passages throughout the inside of the mineral dam.  Some people were walking up and into the formation.  The falls is in the bottom right of the picture where all the people are.

The water at the falls is warm, as the source is from a hot spring.  It comes through a hole in the mineral wall formation.

Heading back to Santa Fe, we pass this butte; you can see the walls are quite steep.

We continued on rte 4 until we reached rte 550 then turned south.  Along the way I saw this cottonwood tree and thought it had a nice shape.  

Following rte 550 we then turned north on I-25 heading back to Santa Fe.  Later back in Santa Fe, we stopped in the plaza in old town.  The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is still in use after many years. 

At the Palace of the Governors; there were a number of Indians artisans selling jewelry.  I know you are wondering to yourself and of course, Carmen bought some of the turquoise jewelry.

As we begin to leave to go back to the motor home, I see this motorcycle or should I say a carcycle.