This past week, our Adventure Kids got to venture out to Jemez Springs and see the unusual geological feature called Soda Dam. If you need an excuse to get out and enjoy a gorgeous scenic drive, the Jemez is perfect. Up through the mountains, through the trees, awesome rock structures, and this time of year, snow! Just before the town of Jemez Springs (if your heading towards albuqurque on hwy 4) you notice a lurking odor in the air and promptly start blaming one of your kids for it. Then just around the bend you see a parking lot on the right and cars parked, so you wonder what it is that everyone is checking out. After parking and a quick dash across the highway, yelling bloody murder at your kids to pay attention and listen to you to pick up the pace, you see this unique rock formation and hear the tranquil sound a waterfall. You have officially arrived at Soda Dam. But what in the world is Soda Dam??
Soda Dam was created from a grouping of 15 hot springs heated by the thermal activity still under the Valles Caldera. As the spring flowed, the travertine dam was formed. The dam was built up over time as the hot springs dissolved calcite minerals in the rock. When the springs reach the surface, calcium carbonate deposits form. That created calcium carbonate and travertine deposits. Over time these deposits created a rock bridge over the Jemez River. Part of the river flows through the dam in a little opening creating a beautiful waterfall feature.
It might only be considered a .1mile trail (aka super super short haha), frankly the dash across the highway from where you park to get to the dam is the longest trek you'll have haha, but there is a lot to explore from one site.
The kids climbed up to the cave like structures to check out the cool rock formations. Due to winter it was pretty slippery from ice and we had to be careful with where we stepped but the ice also made it beautiful in its own unique way.
There was a distinct bat smell in some areas that we decided was smart to avoid due to the desire to not bring some guano home on our kids haha.
If your ok with heights and trust your kids ability to not be reckless with drop offs, there is a route you can climb up onto the top of the dam and walk out to the edge to look down at the waterfall. Its great view from up top and you can climb down behind the dam as well to see where the water shoots through. Lots of cool ice interest as well where it froze on the rocks.
Of course, our mantra, if you want to enjoy cool unique places like this and have them available for future generations, be respectful and take care of our public lands. Soda Dam is under the juristiction of the Forest Service and there are signs posted to remind us that these are precious Historic Sites that we need to keep around for years to come.
If you want to learn more about the Soda Dam and how it was created, these are the two sites I got my information from that might give you more exciting details about its origin.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r3/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5195088
Comments