The Ojo Caliente Hot Springs "hot eye" area is the site of several prehistoric Native-American pueblos and hot springs from which the area derives its name. These springs were sacred to the ancient Pueblo people who abandoned their pueblos in the early 1500s. The prehistoric pueblo closest to and most connected to the hot springs was Posi-ouinge, said to be the pueblo where the mythical culture hero Poseyemu lived. The main hot spring, known to the Tewa as Posipopi, or the green springs/greenness pool because of the emerald algae that grew on the surrounding rocks, was revered by the Tewa and other Native Americans in the region. Posi-Ouinge, the 'Greenness Pueblo,' is a large prehistoric village dated to the 13th through the 16th centuries AD. The pueblo may have had well over 2,000 rooms, making it one of the largest in the southwest.
Although its remote location and raids by the Utes, Comanches and other tribes made it difficult to permanently settle there, Ojo Caliente remained unoccupied by Spaniards for two more decades during the 1770s and 1780s. By September 1790, the Comanche and Ute peace had made settlement at Ojo Caliente feasible for the first time in decades.
Today the major attraction is the Ojo Spa Resort. There are several mineral pools there for soaking, a swimming pool and various body treatment services. The Artesian Restaurant in the main old building has excellent food as well!
Many of their facilities have been closed due to a fire. They hope to be fully opened by the spring of 2022.
Whether staying there or not there are several trails that lead out of there. Walking behind the hot springs building up the cliff you can get to the Posi-ouinge pueblo ruins situated on the cliff above the hot springs. Another longer trail that cuts off to the right at the top of the hill goes to an old mica mine. On the way there are large and small pieces of white quartz rocks. Another longer trail goes down the river to two large pueblo ruins. It is best to get there by horseback. In the area around the pueblos are the fields where crops were grown. You can clearly see the rock boundries that they built to surround each section and the rock fill that was used as a mulch for their crops.
Gallery
Around Ojo Caliente
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| Spa buildings | Posi-Ouinge Pueblo | Round barn |