The Road to El Porvenir
from Las Vegas, New Mexico

Hot Springs Boulevard heads northwest out of Las Vegas and dead ends at the El Porvenir campground in Santa Fe National Forest. Along the way it passes the New Mexico State Hospital, Montezuma (and the Montezuma Castle, now the home of the Armand Hammer United World College), and enters a very narrow canyon for several miles before opening out in Gallinas. At the far end of Gallinas is a fork in the road, the right fork going to El Porvenir and the left fork going to the edge of the forest where it's gated (which was closed the day I took these photos).

Montezuma Castle was a surprise, almost as nice a surprise as the canyon beyond it. The road through the canyon is very narrow and twisty, or I'd have gotten some good pictures (I was also surprised at the amount of traffic in there). Of course, I took this drive in mid-April and the trees weren't even in bud yet. The campgrounds were all closed, as were the gates leading into several church camps I found along the way.

If I got the story right, the Montezuma Castle was originally a seminary that fell into disrepair and was almost abandoned before Armand Hammer bought it and refurbed the place. Now it houses a college where foreign students can get the education they need to get up to par with American students before entering other American universities. Out in front of the College proper, right next to the road, is the Montezuma Hot Springs. While the Hot Springs is on private property, the owners allow well-behaved people to soak all they want in the soothing waters. It's pretty relaxing and, over time, you get to meet quite a few of the local folks.