Los Ojos – Jemez Springs, New Mexico
Shortly after the Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman had the occasion to conduct an inspection trip of frontier outposts in the southwest. He wasn’t impressed by what he saw in New Mexico, writing in a report that “We should have another war with Mexico and force them to take the Territory (New Mexico) back!” As an unabashedly proud native New Mexican, it’s hard for me to comprehend that anyone couldn’t see the incomparable beauty of the Land of Enchantment which to me is obvious everywhere I turn. Were I able to go back to General Sherman’s time, there are so many sights I would like to show him that would certainly change his unflattering perception. Near the top of that list is New Mexico’s Route 4, the magnificent two-lane highway which forms the main artery of the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. Route 4 follows the braided, narrow path of the murky Jemez River which slices through lush wilderness, storied Spanish and Native American pueblos and colossal canyons reaching to the clear, cobalt skies. The canyon walls are stratified in deep earthy hues while the color of the river changes from chocolate brown to a brilliant red found…