Before arriving in Georgia O’ Keeffe’s New Mexico, we indulged in some well-deserved R&R. Everyone had said Ojo Caliente Spa was a must. Just a 40-minute drive from our hotel in Taos, Ojo was our reward after some challenging hikes and cold nights spent in tight quarters.
The spa, nestled between cottonwoods and sandstone cliffs, gave us room to relax and take up space. A short drive just further West, Abiquiu offered a different kind of retreat.
The scenery (and energy) shifted as we approached the town’s red rock formations, layered mesas, and striated cliffs in warm hues. Despite its size, the town buzzed with lively artists, shopkeepers, and curators who knew and supported one another. You can count the dining options on one hand, but the ones we loved, we happily returned to.
Finally, we arrived at the fabled Ghost Ranch. Seeing it on horseback was a highlights of the trip. Our trail guide told us a story about how Georgia O’Keeffe wished to claim Pedernal – the narrow mesa that looms opposite Ghost Ranch – as her own. After our time spent in Abiquiu, I could completely understand why she’d be tempted to keep this magic all to herself.
- Abiquiu & Ojo Caliente Itinerary-At-A-Glance
- Where To Stay
- Where To Eat
- What To Do in Abiquiu
- Add These To Your Abiquiu To-Do List
Abiquiu & Ojo Caliente Itinerary-At-A-Glance
- Day 0.5 (Tuesday): Check into Ojo Caliente, afternoon soak before dinner at the Artesian Restaurant
- Day 1 (Wednesday): Morning yoga at the resort, soak, grab-and-go lunch from the Ojo gift shop, late afternoon walk, dinner at Artesian Wine Bar, night soak
- Day 2 (Thursday): Morning yoga at the resort, morning soak, lunch at Cafe Sierra Negra, check into Abiquiu Inn, dinner at Cafe Abiquiu
- Day 3 (Friday): Full day at Ghost Ranch – Grab-and-go breakfast and packed lunch from Bode’s, stop at Sandstone Fin, morning hike (Chimney Rock Trail), afternoon Georgia O’Keefe Trail Ride, happy hour dinner at Cafe Abiquiu
- Day 4 (Saturday): Morning “hike” and visit to Bosshard Gallery, Brunch at Cafe Sierra Negra, Georgia O’ Keefe house tour, drive to Albuquerque via Santa Fe (with stops at Georgia O’ Keefe Museum and High Road Festival)
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Where To Stay
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa (Ojo Caliente, NM)
Rooms and Lodging
We stayed in the Historic Hotel, which is one of the more affordable lodging options at the resort. The rooms have half-baths only, and guests are encouraged to use the shared facilities (showers) when booking. Since you’ll be spending most of your time soaking, it’s not a deal breaker. Guests of the hotel (lodgers wear blue robes and day guests, yellow robes) also have full access to the spa showers, which are a little nicer than the general facilities.
Double-check that you’re booking the Ojo Caliente Spa in Ojo Caliente, not Ojo Caliente Spa in Santa Fe (unless you mean to stay in Santa Fe). The couple ahead of us at check-in made the mistake of booking Santa Fe, and had to “settle” for staying in a vintage Airstream. (Though, from the website, those look pretty nice.)
Make sure you’re booking your intended Ojo Caliente Spa – the original in Ojo Caliente, NM or the sister spa in Santa Fe.
We stayed in Room 38, located down a corridor from the Artesian Restaurant. Being that it’s part of the historic hotel, the rooms are older, but comfortable. We stayed in a Queen room, but the bed didn’t feel as large as a queen, which is something to keep in mind if you’re planning to share a bed with your travel companion.
The staff set out coffee and tea at the Artesian bar in the mornings. Note: it’s promptly cleared at 10:00 am, before the first yoga class ends, so if you’re a yogi who needs a caffeine hit, head to the bar early. The location is convenient to both the baths and restaurant, though foot traffic in the hallway can be a bit noisy at night. The covered patio in front of the Historic wing offers rocking chairs and swing benches for you to enjoy your morning coffee.
Complimentary Yoga Classes
Yoga classes are in a yurt on the property, and is free for hotel guests. Two class times are offered: 9:00 am and 10:30 am. We arrived 20 minutes early for the 9:00 am class and barely snagged the last two spots (on a weekday!), so get there early.
Classes are 75 minutes of slow, restorative stretching. (A more vigorous vinyasa class is also offered for an additional fee.) Expect long holds, bolsters, blankets, straps, and long, luxurious savasanas. We thought this was the perfect compliment to the hot springs experience – a lovely way to get loose before soaking in the baths.
Where To Eat at Ojo Caliente
When you spend your day in a bathing suit and robe, you won’t want to get dressed or leave the property in search of food.
We had dinner on our first night at the Artesian Restaurant, the formal restaurant at Ojo Caliente (still pretty casual). We walked in without a reservation and were sat immediately. The Artesian offers classic American entrees (seafood, steaks, pork chops) and Southwestern staples.
I thought I was being basic when I ordered the grilled salmon, served with green chile potato cakes, grilled asparagus, and a saffron citrus sauce, but it was what I was craving, and it overachieved.
Two sizable salmon filets seemed intimidating at first, but the hot springs must have revved my metabolism. The potato cakes were mashed rather than crisp – a soft bed for the fish – and the citrus sauce brightened the whole dish up. Leah had the roasted vegetable chile relleno with quinoa, which tasted as healthy as it sounded.
On the second night, after a short walk around the property, we decided to try the Artesian Wine Bar, just outside the proper restaurant. The Wine Bar features a different menu serving more casual fare – cheeseburgers, tacos, pizzas and salads. Leah and I agreed that the move was green chile cheeseburgers with sweet potato fries and a beer. I had the Ex Novo Perle Haggard Pilsner and she enjoyed an Amber Ale.
The Artesian Wine Bar features a more casual menu than the more formal (though still pretty casual) Artesian Restaurant.
Note that food is not permitted in the area with the hot springs. We took our lunches at the outdoor tables near the Historic hotel and never had a problem finding a spot.
The Baths & Spa Amenities
Ojo Caliente offers a variety of baths of various sizes and temperatures, and minerals/benefits:
- Terrace Pool: With gently sloping sides, this partially-shaded pool has the smallest capacity (comfortably fits around 4, at most 6) but is the most ergonomically designed.
- Lithia Pool: Claimed to relieve depression. Mid-temperature.
- Iron Pool: Claims to aid your immune system. This pool has a pebble floor, which provides a nice massage on your feet.
- Cliffside Pools: A pair of uncovered pools tucked into the cliffside, among the hottest options. We bopped in and out of these.
- Soda Pool: The only enclosed pool and among the hottest, helps to aid in digestion (a priority for us after all those sopapillas).
- Arsenic Pool: The triple threat pool, rich with iron, soda, and lithia. Believed to heal skin conditions and relieve arthritis.
- Large Pool: The perfect cold plunge, surrounded by hammocks and chairs.
- Mud Bath: The purifying mud is surprisingly easy to apply, and thinner than we expected. Do this when it’s warm outside and when the sun is out, or you’ll get chilly waiting for the mud to dry!
- There’s also a dry sauna and Eucalyptus Steam Room (which could have been more aromatic, but was still relaxing).
- Don’t Miss: What seems like just a bench along the outside of the men’s locker room is actually a reflexology bar. A shallow pool along the foot of the bench has inlaid pebbles. It’s a nice little spot to read a book and give yourself a mini foot massage.
As guests of the hotel, the opportunity to do a night soak after dinner and then roll into bed was lovely (the pools are open until 10:00 PM). The stars were incredibly bright in the desert night sky (we even saw Starlink cruise by).
Major perk: Guests are allowed to arrive before check-in and linger after check-out. We took full advantage of this, soaking until about 1:30 PM (official check out is at 11:00 AM).
Major spa perk: Hotel guests have access to the baths before official check-in, and after check-out.
Gift Shop
Not wanting to leave the property (or our oversized robes), we sourced breakfast and lunch here. After yoga, we grabbed giant fruit and granola parfaits (one would have been enough for two to share. I never eat that much yogurt in my normal life!).
For lunch, we split an Ojo Salad, a turkey club, and a bag of bougie churro-flavored artisan popcorn that made for the perfect “lunch dessert”. The Ojo salad (mixed field greens, seasonal farm veggies, toasted pinon, cilantro-lime vinaigrette) from the gift shop may have been a smaller version of what’s served in the restaurant, but it’s farm-fresh and half the cost of what you’d pay to dine-in.
Abiquiu Inn
Initially, we had hoped to stay at Ghost Ranch, but it was closed to lodgers due to a photography workshop. The helpful Ghost Ranch staff recommended Abiquiú Inn, which was both convenient and charming.
We stayed in Room 5, just right of the main reception and Café Abiquiú. The room had a kiva fireplace, carved wooden bed, generously sized dresser (not that we used it), and a small TV. The bath and body products were from nearby Purple Adobe Lavender Farm – a luxurious touch, especially the thick moisturizing lotion (a must in the high desert climate). It was a quiet little oasis just steps away from Cafe Abiquiu and its lovely outdoor terrace.
Behind the property is a small sculpture garden, and beyond that, a new glamping concept called Boulders, run by the inn.
Where To Eat
Bode’s General Store
Hyped in online reviews, Bode’s is ultimately a big, practical, much-needed general store for a small town. Wanting to be up at Ghost Ranch right at open (with scenic stops along the way), we skipped a sit-down breakfast and grabbed food to go.
I picked up a Taos Bakes bar after seeing them everywhere in New Mexico. Piñon coffee and dark chocolate had a very strong (but great) coffee flavor. I paired it with the only single-serve yogurt available – Yoplait Cherry Orchard – to assemble a DIY parfait.
For a locally-made, tasty and natural hiking snack, you can’t go wrong with Taos Bakes bars. Piñon Coffee and Dark Chocolate is my favorite flavor.
The grab-and-go sandwiches looked basic: the club wrap was more bacon than turkey, and the turkey sandwich was just turkey on wheat sandwich bread (lettuce and tomato sold separately for a couple bucks more. No thank you.)
Ultimately, we both went for the hot breakfast burritos for lunch. I chose sausage and green chile, and even though it was no longer piping hot by the time we descended from Chimney Rock, it hit the spot.
Café Sierra Negra
This is a small, coloful, memorable spot. On our first visit en route from Ojo we had been leaning towards the shrimp and steak tacos. After asking about the most popular dishes, we pivoted to fish tacos and huevos rancheros, and it was a great move.
The fish tacos (three to an order) were so delicious- blackened crimson snapper with pepper jack, sriracha mayo, avocado, and lime-cilantro slaw. The huevos rancheros, served Christmas-style, felt hearty like stew. Served in a bowl with generous ladles of red and green chile and a whisper-thin tortilla, it was comforting and perfect with an added pinch of salt.
Our second meal there was brunch before our Georgia O’Keeffe house tour. I started with a matcha and Leah ordered a cup of Ohori Coffee (Santa Fe-based roasters). For food, Jill at Bosshard Gallery had recommended: a bowl of the vegetarian dal (curried red lentil soup) with buttered ciabatta, and the small house salad. We followed her recommendation to a T.
The salad was perfect for two – a plate of local greens with pickled veggies, avocado, sheep’s milk feta, and Dijon vinaigrette. For dessert (also at Jill’s recommendation), we split a slice of the dense, potent, pudding-like Basque cheesecake and another of the carrot cake… and grabbed a slice of coffee cake to go.
Though all the food at Cafe Sierra Negra is wonderful, do not miss the fish tacos or the Basque cheesecake.
Cafe Abiquiu (at the Abiquiu Inn). We ate here twice. The first time was upon arrival from Ojo Caliente and again the following night. The food was solid, but service was lackluster both nights. On night one, our server seemed to forget about us entirely. My Strawberry Fields salad took longer than expected to materialize. It was fine, introducing me to the wonder of New Mexican pistachios (who knew?). Leah had the pork tamale plate, which somewhat made up for the night, as she declared it her favorite tamale of the trip.
I had a glass of Black Mesa Abiquiu White. Described as “off-dry with floral and citrus flavors and a touch of spice,” it was fuller-bodied than I expected for a table wine (not necessarily a bad thing).
We took full advantage of happy hour (4:00 – 6:00 PM daily) on our second night after a long day at Ghost Ranch (including a 2-hour hike and 90-minute trail ride). We went ham on half off appetizers and beer and wine, ordering chicken flautas, chips and guac with elote, and tamale cake napoleon with smashed avocado, pico de gallo, and chipotle cream. I paired it with a glass of Gruet Rosé. Leah suggested we get the chocolate piñon torte to go – one of her best ideas ever.
Happy Hour at Cafe Abiquiu is an excellent value – half off all appetizers, beer, and wine.
Note: The restaurant posts weekly specials (we spotted pork adovada and fried blue corn trout on the nights of our stay), but neither of our servers mentioned them. While waiting to pay, I overheard one server asked the kitchen if a special was available and was told no. Consider asking directly if you’re curious.
After happy hour, there was the an opening reception for a local artist’s (Sally Delap-John) exhibition, where we were welcomed with a generous pour of Gruet Blanc de Blancs by the curator, and had a lovely chat with the artist.
What To Do in Abiquiu
Visit Ghost Ranch
Hike Chimney Rock Trail. Booking a tour at Ghost Ranch includes a day pass (normally $10), giving you access to the trails and landscape that inspired some of Georgia O’Keeffe’s most iconic works. We signed up for the 1:00 PM Georgia O’Keeffe Trail Ride and arrived when the ranch opened at 9:00 AM with just enough time to hike the Chimney Rock Trail, enjoy lunch, and regroup before saddling up.
The Ghost Ranch Day Pass fee is waived for visitors who book a tour or activity – squeeze in a hike if you have time.
The Chimney Rock Trail is Ghost Ranch’s most popular hike for good reason. It’s moderately challenging – about three miles round trip with a steady uphill climb- and there is never a bad view. The trail winds through a geological kaleidoscope: deep rusts, soft golds, pale pinks, and bluffs streaked with mineral-rich purples. You’ll pass twisted junipers, rocky outcrops, and wide-open vistas.
The final viewpoint sits on a ledge that juts dramatically into the sky. If you’re feeling brave (and steady on your feet), you can venture further onto the ledge for a closer look at Chimney Rock itself. Even from slightly safer ground, the panoramic views of the Piedra Lumbre Basin and the surrounding mesas are impressive.
We had time to eat a packed lunch in the shade, use the restrooms near the Welcome Center, and turn ourselves around for the trail ride.
Take a trail ride. Advance booking required. Ghost Ranch offers a number of activities ranging from walking tours and horseback rides to sketching and sound baths. We booked the O’Keeffe Landscape Trail Ride, which was well-run from start to finish. Our small group of six gathered for a short orientation from the head wrangler, named Colton (of course). He walked us through the basics: how to mount, how to steer, and how to give the horse a gentle nudge if it decides mid-trail to snack on desert shrubs.
My horse, Ranger, seemed a little sleepy at first, but he kept pace (needing only the occasional motivational kick). Before we set off, Colton pulled out a binder of O’Keeffe’s paintings and gave us a quick lesson in art meeting geography, pointing out the landscapes that inspired some of her signature works.
Among them were O’Keeffe’s many studies of Pedernal, the flat-topped mesa that dominates the horizon here (she painted it nearly 30 times), and Cedar Tree with Lavender Hills, which depicts a tree with “eyes” against a soft desert pastel palette.
Our trail guide was new (one week into the job), but full of energy. She struck a nice balance between offering insight (including a tale of the Ghost Ranch’s serial killers) and letting the ride speak for itself. In peak afternoon heat, following Ranger’s steady rhythm, I happily zoned out, watching the shifting light across the rock formations in near silence.
The trail ride is about 90 minutes and is moves at a beginner-friendly clip. Wear jeans, sunscreen, and bring plenty of water. If you book the afternoon ride, as we did, you’ll still have just over an hour afterward to explore other parts of Ghost Ranch. We did a quick spin through the O’Keeffe Cottage, the Ghost House, the Paleontology and Anthropology Museums, and, naturally, the gift shop.
Visit Plaza Blanca: The White Place
Free; registration required via online form. Plaza Blanca, known as “The White Place,” feels like stepping onto another planet, especially given its surrounding environs. Composed of towering white sandstone formations, this otherworldly landscape was a subject of Georgia O’Keeffe’s later paintings. Ghost Ranch is fiery reds, pinks, and purples, and Plaza Blanca is its chalky, muted, moon-toned sibling.
We arrived around 5:00 PM and had it nearly to ourselves. The late afternoon light softened the stone, casting long shadows and dramatizing the sculptural spires. There’s no official trail here, just open space to wander freely among the formations. The silence is profound, broken only by the crunch of your footsteps and the occasional call of a raven.
Plaza Blanca sits on land owned by the Dar Al Islam mosque and education center, which kindly allows public access with permission. You’ll need to complete a short Google form (I was skeptical, but it’s legit) in advance to receive the gate code. The area is open during daylight hours. Respectful behavior is a must.
After about an hour of relaxed wandering, we made our way up to the mosque for sweeping views over the valley. Plaza Blanca is a quiet but powerful counterpoint to the surrounding, better-known sites.
Tour Georgia O’ Keefe’s Home
Advance reservations required. First, Georgia O’Keeffe owned two homes in Abiquiú. The one at Ghost Ranch is currently closed to the public. When we spotted her house during our trail ride, we were a little confused about where exactly we’d be touring later that day.
Turns out, we’d already been standing just a stone’s throw from Georgia’s home that morning, while browsing at the nearby Bosshard Gallery.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Home and Studio Tours depart from the Welcome Center, which functions mainly as a launch point. It’s worth noting that even though the House Tour is part of the Georgia O’ Keeffe Museum, the Welcome Center is not a museum. There’s little to no O’Keeffe artwork on-site, so if you’re hoping for art, the O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe is still worth a stop.
The home tour itself runs a prompt and 75 minutes. It’s a thoughtful look at Georgia’s Abiquiú home and studio both as creative sanctuary and as a piece of lived-in architecture. You’ll learn about her minimalist aesthetic, her love of natural light, her love of cooking and about acequias, the irrigation canals specific to the Southwest, particularly New Mexico.
Not surprisingly, the views from her home are stunning – the muted mesas, soft skies, and calming desert palette lifted straight from her canvases. Her collections of bleached bones and arranged rocks, lovingly displayed throughout the house, made me feel a little less self-conscious about the shells and stones I’ve hoarded on hikes over the years.
Note: large bags / tote bags aren’t allowed on the tour, but the Welcome Center has lockers (free of charge) available for your convenience.
Visit Ancient Ruins and Natural Formations
One of the unexpected joys of traveling through Northern New Mexico is stumbling upon places that aren’t big enough to warrant a spot on the official itinerary, but are worth a stop to marvel at for a moment. We came across several ruins that offered quiet moments of reflection on our way into Abiquiu and en route to Ghost Ranch, simply by zooming in on Google Maps for sites of interest.
Penitente Morada: A humble adobe structure once used as a gathering space for Los Hermanos Penitentes, a private lay Catholic brotherhood unique to Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. Perched on a rise with a commanding view of the valley, the site is simple but striking.
Santa Rosa de Lima: Remnants of an early 18th-century Spanish settlement. Crumbling walls and sunlit arches give a ghostly sense of life once lived there.
Sandstone Fin. On our way to Ghost Ranch – coffee and Bode’s burritos in hand – we made a quick stop at Sandstone Fin. This narrow, needle-like spine of rock juts dramatically from the earth, the result of millions of years of wind and water erosion shaping the region’s soft sandstone.
If you’re Googling directions, you’ll likely see Talus Natural Arch mentioned nearby. Though most of the Google review photos look identical to Sandstone Fin, that’s a mistake. The arch is a separate formation that requires a hike.
If you’re staying in Abiquiu heading to Ghost Ranch, I recommend stopping at Sandstone Fin on the way there, and this scenic Roadside Viewpoint with a view of the Chama River on the way back (you’ll be on the “right” side of the road each way).
Browse Bosshard Gallery
Wandering this shop, housed in the original location of Bode’s Mercantile, is more like wandering in a museum than in a store. Bosshard Gallery is part art gallery, part antique trove, part local institution. It’s the kind of place you sort through slowly, uncovering layer upon layer of treasures hanging on the walls and stacked on shelves. Furniture, pottery, textiles, vintage oddities, and folk art – they’ve got everything.
We met Jill, the shopkeeper that day, who not only shared a bit about the gallery’s history but also gave us some solid lunch tips for Cafe Sierra Negra.
Practical bonus: everything is 50% off the marked price unless otherwise noted.
Add These To Your Abiquiu To-Do List
The Dome. This architectural oddity and spiritual retreat had its grand reopening for the season on our last day in town.
Abiquiu Lake. A serene reservoir with panoramic views of the red rock cliffs.
Monastery of Christ in the Desert. Home to a community of Benedictine monks in Chama Canyon, designed by famous designer and woodworker George Nakashima. About a 1-hour drive from Abiquiu.
If I have the opportunity to return in the future, I’d love to stay at Ghost Ranch and sign up for a workshop, we well as explore some of the lesser-known trails beyond Chimney Rock.
As for Abiquiu, the super-friendly creative community community completely charmed us.
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