East Fork of the Jemez River

In late August, we spent a wonderful day hiking the East Fork of the Jemez River in the Jemez Mountains with friends Linda and Amy. Before hitting the trail we stopped in the village of Jemez Springs and admired the hot springs. The town has an old fashioned bathhouse with baths fed with water from the nearby hotspings, a catholic seminary, and a buddhist retreat center. We explored the Buddhist retreat and took a few quiet moments to reflect in the breathtakingly beautiful sanctuary.

This hike is probably the most beautiful and the also most popular hike in the Jemez Mountains. As you can see, the trail follows the river with numerous crossings and outcroppings along the way.

Doesn't look like dessert New Mexico, does it?