day trip from Santa Fe to Ghost Ranch, stops along the way
 

I am going to be driving from Santa Fe to Ghost Ranch this Sunday.

I am looking at maps, etc., and it looks like there are some other places to perhaps stop en route to or from Ghost Ranch.

There are numerous Pueblos on the way either on or just off of Hwy 84/285. The ones I see are Pojoaque, Nambe, Ohkay Owinyeh (formerly San Juan), Tesque, and Santa Clara Pueblos.

Has anyone stopped at any of those? Is it worth it to try and buy some pottery or other goods at the Pueblos? Other parts of the puebls to experience?

Also, Ojo Caliente is not far off the path. Anyone have an opinion on stopping for the mineral baths there?

Hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors to the Santa Fe area do exacltly what you are planning every and even more visitors make special trips to the pueblos just to purchase pottery. I'm sure a great many of those found the experience to be "worth it". Whether you do or not depends on your expectations. You can acquire some very exquisite pieces of pottery at the various pueblos so if that's what you are seeking then you'll enjoy stopping at one or more of them.

Maybe if you could give me an idea of what a visit to a pubelo is like, that would help. I'm not really sure what there is to do, people who live on the pueblo to interact with, etc.

Pueblos vary enormously.

Most of them are not very much like Taos or Acoma. Some of the ones I have visited look like a bit like military bases because many of the people live in prefab government housing. I have never seen very many people out and about in any of them. Think Italian, Spanish, or Portugese hill towns, if you have been to any of them. Where are all the people?

There will be offices, dwellings, perhaps a small museum, shops for residents, shops for visitors, maybe some people selling pottery or other crafts. There may be a small casino or a very big casino.

I think that if you find pleasure in variety, you will enjoy seeing all the ways a pueblo can be a pueblo. If you go in with certain expectations of what it will look or be like, you may be disappointed.

I think you are not very likely to interact with anyone who is not a guide, an official, or someone trying to sell you something, sort of like any other destination that a lot of people visit.

OOps, I forgot to say that Santa Clara and San Ildefonso pottery is of course fabulous. Not cheap, but fabulous.

Thank you, Ackislander, that was a very helpful answer.

If anyone has been to any of those particular pueblos, I'd appreciate some input.

Anyone been to Ojo Caliente?

Here's a link you can check to see what is going on at the pueblos, if visitors are welcome this weekend, rules on picture taking, etc.

http://www.newmexico.org/native_america/pueblos/

Lee Ann

With the exception of Taos and Acoma, most pueblos are not set up for visitor to "see" or "do" much other than possibly buying pottery.

Most of the pueblos are just housing scattered around with no formal tourist activities.

There are times when they may have ceremonies which the public MAY or MAY NOT be allowed to view.

This may not sound very PC, but you will find that most of these pueblos to be very run down areas. It is a sad fact that the Native Americans have very difficult lives and living conditions.

Just be prepared for what these will be like, like rural Appalachia.

Deb