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I always believed that arsenic was
deadly poison. Period.
In fact, ingesting trace amounts may be good for you!
We'll get to find out at Ojo Caliente, where Arsenic Springs are
one of five mineral laden waters. We gather up our bathing
suits and towels for the short trip from Santa Fe, and head
north to the timeless waters, one of the oldest health resorts
in North America.
Ojo Caliente, also known as 'hot eye' is the only hot springs
in the world with a five-mineral combination of bubbling
waters. The Pueblo Indians believed Ojo to be a sacred
spot. They thought it was an opening into the underworld
where the Great Spirits lived.
The first thing we notice upon arrival is how quiet it is. The
hot springs are bubbling from sunken places in the earth below
the rugged, warm red rock mountains, so typically New Mexico.
No more than six people are soaking in the pools, which are
scattered in a circle around the complex.
A middle age man smiles at us from the Lithia Spring, and
says, "what are you waiting for?" We agree and
scurry into the bathhouse to get ready. The bathhouse
doubles as a treatment room. Four people, completely
encased in warm blankets, are lying on massage
tables. Their absolute stillness makes us feel hush
hush and adds to our anticipation of this peaceful, remote
experience.
On our way to the first pool, we notice a pump in the center
of the complex with a sign encouraging us to drink the
water while we soak to achieve even more benefits.
At first we are hesitant - stuck in the "arsenic
is poison" mode - but the water dispensed is from the
Lithia spring. At 104º F, it is believed to relieve
depression, sluggish kidneys and stomach gas.
Still, it seems strange, but we also consider that people have been
drinking it for centuries, and the benefits include elimination of
excessive acids and other impurities, which in turn creates vitality and
energy - we need that - so we fill up our cups and slide into the
open-air Iron Pool.
Once we get used to the 109º temperature, the water feels,
unbelievably, like a velvet caress. Within minutes, the soak is doing
it's job, releasing tension and anxieties that we didn't even know
were there. The Iron waters are beneficial to the blood.
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Now that we're relaxed, it's time to dip into the Arsenic without
even the ceremony of a dying wish. The pool is 113º and
breathless at first. Soon it's power overtakes us and we flop like
rag dolls tossed onto sea.
Trace amounts of arsenic relieve arthritis, rheumatism, stomach
ulcers and help promote healing of burns, excema and contusions.
The other pools have equally important powers.
The Soda pool, enclosed with rock walls and a temporary roof, is like
a steam room. Tingling soda mineral water fills the base of a
sandstone cliff at a mere 106º. The power of the Soda water, and
also the water from the Sodium Spring, is gained by drinking it for
stomach problems and arthritis.
Ojo Caliente is one of many hot springs that runs through the mid
section of New Mexico known as the Rio Grande Rift, formed long
ago during one of the earth's great shifts. What is most unusual
about Ojo Caliente is the rare combination of so many minerals in one
spot, hence the name, which means, "hot eye."
After the soaks, any number of treatments, including private soaks,
seaweed facials, mud wraps and traditional massages are available to
round out the experience.
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For a weekend getaway, an adobe
hotel built in the early 1900s is available for a calming,
unhurried stay at modest rates.
A peaceful front porch looks out on the pools and an onsite
restaurant provides dining made from fresh foods and cooked to
your preference.
Mountain bike and horseback trails are close by for those who
wish to combine a little exercise with the pools. |
We saw it, we touched it, and we survived. We are, in
fact, believers! Driving Directions
From Santa Fe, follow Route 286 North. Allow approximately 1 hour.
From Taos, follow Route 64 West to Tres Piedras. Turn left at the blinking light.
Continue South on Route 285 until your reach Ojo Caliente.
Allow approximately 1 hour.
From Colorado, take Route 285 South from Alamosa.
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