Showing posts with label Camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Camping. Show all posts
Chase and I went to Guadalupe Canyon over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my birthday last year (ya, I'm so behind haha). Surprisingly, the crowds were minimal so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The road to get out there is super crazy. We drove on the dried up lake trail to get there (as seen in second photo). Once we arrived, we unloaded our car and set up camp. The second that was done, we headed for the water!
This is the dried up lake which directions to the canyon will tell you to drive on. It was totally safe for us and way faster then the other path (which is super bumpy terrain).
Each campsite comes with its own little hut/canopy to shade you and your belongings from the sun. They rake the sand and it's actually super clean. There was even a fire oven for cooking which was great. And of course, each campsite has it's very own private hot pool. PERFECT!
The view from each campsite is gorgeous! Ours overlooked the entire canyon!
Our private pool in our campsite :)
Dinner with a view!
I have never done a mud bath, so was super excited to try. I was so surprised at how clean and smooth my skin felt afterwards! And it left a pretty shimmer on my skin from the minerals, which I liked. I swear I saw tiny little quartz in there. At first when you get in it's sorta eerie, mushing your feet around in deep squishy mud in that dark water haha. Plus you sorta feel like you're sinking so it's kind of a trip. Anyway, you scoop up the good stuff from the bottom with your feet and then make a little pile on the side to rub all over your body. Once I got out, I rubbed more on me because it didn't stick well unless you did that. Then, you stand in the sun like a star and let it dry. I kept mine on for at least a half hour, then rinsed in the hot pool. The longer it stays on, the better (so they say).
I loved the sticks used to build some of the shacks and fences. They were super pokey but made for a unique design.
Carving our initials = true love
Walking around the campgrounds was so much fun! Chase used to come here when he was little and I guess it has changed a lot. This cute little restaurant used to be open but unfortunately is now closed. There were a lot of pools on the other side of the campground as well that were closed off (not sure why). And the huge pool that used to have a diving board was drained. That was a bummer. Chase says there used to be a little store and that restaurant so you could hang by that pool all day and eat, etc. Now, you only have those pools I blogged about earlier plus the private one in your campground. Not sure what the deal is on that, but we enjoyed checking them out regardless.
The flower matched my nails :)
Packing up getting ready to head out! Bring trash bags, they have a dumpster for you.
We had a beautiful sunset on the last night at camp. I loved coming home from our hike and soaking as our dinner cooked over the fire. It was such a dream and perfect romantic getaway. I loved the privacy of each campsite yet outstanding views. On our way out, I'm glad we snapped some pictures of that dried up lake because it was rad. I have some other shots of our car and it looks like a Toyota commercial haha. Anyway, hope you can visit here someday soon! It's inexpensive and a great way to get in touch with nature and relax!
More details on how to get to Guadalupe Canyon: HERE
Unfortunately, when we got to the lower of the two pools it was disgusting. Overtaken by moss and water snakes, no waterfall, dirty, and not enough water. The drought just sucked that thing for what it was worth. So we kept on hiking to the furthest pool. Honestly, I don't remember how long it took but I would give yourself a solid half day for this adventure, if not morning into early afternoon. We weren't tracking miles, but it was lengthy. By the time we got to the top pools we were relieved to have finally make it! Heat can be annoying so definitely visit here in the winter ;). At the top pool, there was enough water and even a trickle of a falls! IT FELT SO GOOD to finally cool off and sun bathe on the warm rocks. We only ran into one other couple the entire weekend so felt stoked to have the pool to ourselves for most of the day.
The great thing about this top pool, are the amazing views and privacy. While there, we saw cute little mountain goats on the cliffs. It was beautiful to see the little guys hopping around so effortlessly. We also saw a hawk and lots of lizards. If you do this, definitely pack a back pack with food, water, a towel, hiking sandals, and a floatie. The floatie is so worth it once you're up there. I loved the desert oasis vibes, and I think you will too!
Guadalupe Canyon is a rad hot spring desert oasis, tucked away in Baja Mexico. You go there to camp and explore all the different hot pools. Some parts of it have been closed down over the years, so now there is only one main soaking area as pictured alongside personal hot pools in each campsite (I'll blog that later). You can also hike to a pool up the canyon that is cold, which I will share in my next post. There used to be two, but one was super nasty due to the drought. At the base camp there is a cute little store in case you need some supplies, as well as a shower.
There are rocks surrounding the pool that you can climb on to sun bathe like a lazy lizard :) You also get a beautiful bird eyes view of the area. Wear sandals, because the rocks are super hot. The best time of year to visit this place is winter time. We went in May over Memorial Day weekend and it was border line too hot. Next time we would rather go in February or March.
This pipe was cool because it trickled down onto the rocks like a waterfall, so it was sort of our shower for the week haha. I brought shampoo and soap down to the hot pool to shower there. It was just easier then the not so appealing showers by our campsite.
Photos taken in late May 2016.
I'm so glad I brought my doughnut floatie. This thing was heaven sent! Chase and I were taking turns on it the entire time, we need a second chocolate one ;). Also, I chose to wear strap on water sandals that float for two reasons. First, for traction on the nasty mossy rock floor because it's insanely slippery and kinda disturbing. Second, because they float so when I felt like taking them off I could just set them in the water next to me and not lose them. They were great to have, I definitely think getting in these pools with something protecting your feet is wise. Also, don't forget a water bottle! It's pretty hot and there is nothing worse then being dehydrated in a hot pool in the desert (hah)!
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