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Southwest New Mexico

Southwest New Mexico

Begin your adventure with two of New Mexico’s most legendary green chile cheeseburgers in San Antonio, then soak your way through the natural hot springs in Truth or Consequences. Find out how “T or C” got it’s name at the Geronimo Springs Museum, check out the ghost town of Chloride, and dive in to New Mexico’s largest body of water in Elephant Butte.

chloride-530Hey everyone! In this episode we got to soak up some of New Mexico’s most visited waters and made some historic stops along the way.

For those who may not know, the city of Truth or Consequences has a very long history in New Mexico. Having been previously called Hot Springs, New Mexico, I learned that city had its name changed after winning a contest for a famous TV game show called Truth or Consequences. But that is not the only unique thing about the city; it was also a place where many Native Americans tribes would come and peacefully soak in the healing hot springs. There are many tales of the people that came through this town over the years. One of the major names that many may recognize is Geronimo, the famous Apache warrior.

Since those days, many things have changed in Hot Springs, NM (specifically the name) but some things have stayed the same. People still come from all around New Mexico and the country to soak in the restorative all natural hot springs. This is what initially drew me here and MY… was I not let down. Luckily I had my local guide Monika to guide me through town, to the plethora of hot spring spas offered in town. On the tour I found that there is a place for every taste, from super luxurious to minimal and rustic. No matter what your desire for spa aesthetic, one thing is for sure, the water will truly put you in a peaceful state of mind, at least it did in my experience. There is a certain aire about the town that screams “slow down, take a breath, and smell the flowers.” So I did just that. The people of TorC (Truth or Consequences) are super friendly, patient, and creative. It is the ultimate place to unplug and soak!

buddahAnother great stop on this journey, we stopped in at the well-preserved ghost town of Chloride. Escorted around the ghost town by a local, Don, I learned that the town went bust during the Mining era. Don had a great story though…when he came to live in town he found the general store fully intact with relics that had been left untouched since the 1800’s! Talk about history. I was so fascinated by all the old tools and items from that era that you mostly only see in books. This place was a living encyclopedia. The town is one of the best-preserved ghost towns in New Mexico and is sure to give you a first hand perspective of what life was like in the 1800’s.

abiquiu-350If you’re in the same area and are looking for a nice cool down after a soak or exploring ghost towns, you must make the stop to Elephant Butte Lake. This is probably the most frequently visited body of water in the state. Filled with lots of awesome water activities, you can find families taking their boat out, fishing, water skiing, and so much more. They also have a world class golf course and some great hikes there too. In other words, there is no shortage of activities if you want to be active.

As always thank you for reading and watching.

Keep exploring, MN

http://www.newmexico.org/nmtruetv#article86856

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