Along for the ride: Gila Hot Springs

After a good night's sleep, we head north along Hwy 61 to 35 towards Gila Hot Springs and the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

We surprise a small herd of javelins

Church in pinon pine and juniper country

The countryside turns rocky with larger trees and eventually forests.

Layered cliffs with pine and juniper trees

Rock sentinels with ponderosa pines

After climbing a steep mountain pass, we are treated to a wonderful panorama of the Gila River basin below.

The descent down off the pass is steeper still on a narrow road without guardrails. Peter enjoys the drive, which I consider it to be a white knuckle ride. What? Me afraid of heights?

We cross over the Gila River

View from our campsite

We camp at the Gila Hot Springs Ranch, which is owned and operated by the Campbell family. Doc Campbell and his wife bought the ranch in the 1940's when the road in was nothing but a jeep trail. Ever since that time, it's been a true working ranch including various businesses operated by different family members.

The store has great home made ice cream

Hand built log cabin

Spring is in the air with new lambs and kids frolicking in the fields.

Sheep and lambs in pasture by RVs

Lambs cooling off in the shade

Madonna and kid

After getting settled, we walk across the road to the hot spring on the Gila River. It's "undeveloped" but presents itself as funky and fun. A day's soak is $4 a person and camping is only $5 which includes access to the hot pools.

Entrance to hot springs

Notice the skull and cross bones for the HOT pool

We find the moderate pool to our liking

The views from our pool are relaxing...

cliffs across the river

the campground

and prayer flags fluttering in the breeze

As we soak in the surroundings and relax in the pool, we meet Hunter who's traveling around the country. He's a former Merrill Lynch stockbroker who took the money and ran to follow his dream of becoming a writer. He's landed a job writing for a newspaper in Bosman, Montana so he can combine his love of writing about the west along with traveling around it. You got to admire the guy to walk away from a lucrative profession to follow his muse. Our hats are off to him as we wish him much success in his new profession.

Peter kicking back at the hot springs

Marti relaxing

After a few enjoyable hours just hanging out at the hot spring, we walk back to camp to enjoy a beer under the budding cottonwood trees and watch the sunset.