Beauty's Spa Travel: Heavenly Haven of Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Passing through Hatch, New Mexico in September means being enveloped by cool air perfumed with the sweet peppery scent of roasting chilies. Hatch is the center of all things green chili in New Mexico and, if coming from the west, the gateway to New Mexico's best kept secret, the sleepy town of Truth or Consequences. Named "Hot Springs" until 1950, the town concealed it's most valuable tourist boast in order to win the honor of becoming the home-at-large to the then popular Truth or Consequences radio show with Ralph Edwards. Though frequented by locals and New Mexicans alike, the 10 naturally heated mineral springs and the facilities which house them remain largely ignored by the Santa Fe-Aspen crowd. The town itself, although slightly less O'Keeffe painting friendly in architecture than its northern neighbors of Taos or Santa Fe, is compelling enough that I considered permanently relocating to the absolutely lovely 10 square blocks that make up it's downtown area.

After stopping in Black Cat Books and Coffee for the best cup of organic, home-roasted decaff coffee I have ever had, I grabbed a councilman-baked pecan coffee roll, an Easy Rider commemorative map of Taos signed by Peter Fonda, and headed over to the farmers' market on the banks of the Rio Grande. Organically-grown local pomegranates (sold for 75 cents a piece) and home made soaps laid like lounging cabana ladies on every table. Fruit, coffee, and pastry in hand I walked past the outdoor massage chairs and inflated gas price weary farmers taking solace in the constant flow of the river and set out to tour every available hot spring facility in one day. This is an extremely manageable task as the ten facilities housing the natural hot springs are within a four block stretch along the banks of that Grande river. (My top three picks are listed in the posts below.)

In these depressing financial times, Truth or Consequences is a haven of affordable rejuvenation and healing. Indeed, Apache Indians revered the town's springs as a center of spiritual healing and physical health long before the words short selling and money market account were sources of national exhaustion. In their own desperate (if now seemingly simple) times of crisis the Apache had the wisdom to declare these hot springs neutral ground among waring tribes who all converged there for healing rituals and transference of information. In this time of severe Truth and Consequences, can't we all use a little inexpensive, neutral ground?

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Beauty's Spa Travel: Blackstone Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

If the W Hotel were bite-sized and located in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico with private natural hot springs in every room, it would be the Blackstone Hot Springs Lodging and Baths. Refurbished in April of 2008 the retro rooms boast flat screen TVs, high end appliances, and bathrooms only slightly smaller than the Taj-Mahal. Adobe tubs meant to hold a hot tub sized amount of 110 degree mineral bath water paint themselves into each bathroom corner and feature a mini rock waterfall spout and separate hand-held spigot. In case a tub isn't how you take your mineral water, separate standing showers also occupy each bathroom as does a private mountain view porch, artwork, and memorabilia from your classic television show of choice. While the TV show theme dominates the artwork, the furniture and wall colors remain true to their Southwestern heritage (thank god.) Each room also has a front patio facing the communal courtyard with a sprawling, finely-tended garden. Room themes include, I love Lucy, The Jetsons, As the World Turns, and Roy Rogers. While I loved each place I am posting about, Blackstone is my top overnight location of choice.

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Beauty's Spa Travel: Riverbend Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

I almost didn't bother stopping here because one guidebook said the rooms were dormitory style. Why would you go all the way to New Mexico and stay in a dorm? It was however directly next to the Farmers Market and directly on the shores of the Rio Grande and had an oddly welcoming Tee-pee out front. I am so thrilled I stopped by.

First, the trailer houses are only one option for budget travellers and the guest rooms are adorable. Secondly, I will never go to Truth or Consequences again with out a spare $15 to gain entrance to the private riverside baths at Riverbend Hot Springs and a boyfriend in tow to make said visit suitably utopian. For the mere trouble of bringing $15 and a boyfriend to New Mexico, you can have the most romantic, secluded, river front hot spring bath beneath the watchful eye of the robust Mimbres Mountains. The larger pools are also stunning and exceptionally clean. A must visit.

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Beauty's Spa Travel: Hay-Yo-Kay Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

The oldest and purest strain of Hot Spring-ism available in this the hot bed of hot springs is Hay-Yo-Kay Hot Springs. Unlike some other facilities, which shall remain nameless, this humble host brings you to the thermal waters. The entire facility is at water level so that each bath's water flows naturally into the pool created to contain it. When the water drains it flows into an irrigation ditch and will, later that day, irrigate the green chilies which top your Sopapilla-based burrito. This is Hot Springs, Whole Foods style complete with austere mineral ingredient listings posted in the lobby and a monastery like sincerity approach by visitors hoping to gain some healing in these historic waters. The owners will remind you that this spring, the oldest in town, is where the Apache came to heal their war wounds.

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Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa: I dream of nothing more than this place

Three and half years ago I spent a week with an ex-boyfriend in Taos, New Mexico. The whole weekend was like a dream but Ojo Caliente has stayed with me. 12 different minerals gather in this place to create the most rejuvenating hot springs in North Amercia. These 12 minerals do not gather in the same place anywhere else on planet earth. They tell you here that SPA stands for Salud Per Aqua, Latin for 'health through water'. We traveled south of Taos and the Rio Grande into the middle of the dessert. My memories are faint and dream-like but I remember sitting in the pool filled from a Lithia Spring, looking to one side and seeing the expanse of desert and looking to the other and seeing the expanse of red canyon walls towering above me. Since that trip I have known that I belong in New Mexico. In Taos. Someday I will be a wild haired old woman living alone and in love with the dessert and Taos Mountain.

On Wednesday of this week my heart dropped to the floor and tears came to my eyes as I audibly gasped in the middle of my office. Emily, my dear friend and road trip companion, notified me by email that she is moving to New Mexico. I have only had this job for a month and tears started to well up in my eyes. I am loosing Emily but will get to go visit. She will get to go to amazing wonderful beauty places. Natural Spas like Ojo Calinete where you immerse your whole body in a swimming pool sized mud bath and bake dry under the dessert sun. I can go visit. But more than I am sad to loose Emily (I know she will be back and we will have more adventures together), I miss that I am not living in New Mexico, visiting various health spas and Canyon Ranch-esque places. Until that day I will sit here at my humble location in Chapel Hill and write my little heart out about new beauty products and spas. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I can't wait to write about my trip with Emily to Ojo Caliente.

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