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While I'd love my eventual residence to be in the beautiful city of Santa Fe, New Mexico because of it's rich culture and history, beautiful landscape, creative energy, and breadth of spirit, there are several areas of the Southwest, besides Santa Fe, that seem to just radiate an almost magical presence. One of those places for me is Ghost Ranch near the town of Abiquiu, New Mexico, which is located just 63 miles northwest of Santa Fe. It is this amazingly scenic area that inspired Georgia O'Keeffe to paint many beautiful masterpieces. She, too, must have felt this magical power, which provided inspiration for her work, and she decidedly returned year after year, eventually making Abiquiu her permanent home. (To see and hear Georgia speak about her life at Ghost Ranch, and the inspiration for her art, click here. You can also read about her life at Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu as well obtain touring information at ghostranch.org.)I first visited the vast and scenic land near the town of Abiquiu in 1996 during my solo trip across the Southwest. While I never made it to Ghost Ranch, not realizing that it was open to the public, I did get a chance to soak in the amazing scenic views of the area and absorb the spiritual energy that seems to emanate strongly there. I visited a small wild animal shelter that was open to the public that took care of ailing animals. It was my first up-close look at a bald eagle, which upon seeing, gave me the chills; such a magnificent bird in person.
Since that first visit, I've been back to the area several times to finally get a chance to see the ranch and take some amazing hikes. There's a couple of hikes that start just a short distance from the Ghost Ranch visitor's center, and I recall while taking in the views on my first hike up to Chimney Rock, immediately recognizing some of the rock formations from Georgia O'Keeffe's striking landscapes. I imagined her, with her easel propped up in a location near where I was standing, painting the scene some 70 years ago, that now hangs above my fireplace today.
Looking up at Chimney Rock
Sometimes when I want to inject a little bit of serenity in my life, whether it be during a stressful time or just to focus my energy in a positive way, I visualize myself at the top of Chimney Rock looking at the most magnificent views of Abiquiu. There's usually not many people on the hike, making it a peaceful and introspective trek. I wholeheartedly recommend taking the time to hike up to Chimney Rock when visiting the ranch. It's a lot of uphill, but the reward at the top is worth it! And lets face it, we could all use the exercise!
Looking down from Chimney Rock
View of Chimney Rock from after a long but beautiful hike up.
I was really excited two years ago to finally get the chance to take my son to Santa Fe. I made sure that Ghost Ranch was a part of his experience. He finally got to see the land that his mother dreams of almost daily and talks about constantly. Interestingly enough, and I don't believe I'm projecting here, he seemed somewhat enchanted himself with New Mexico. I strongly believe that the energy that emanates from these amazing places can be felt regardless of age. Although, I suppose he being a 5-year old boy at the time and getting to experience his first plane flight didn't hurt! It also couldn't have hurt that he got a special viewing (thanks to a wonderful employee of the little museum at Ghost Ranch) of the near-complete fossil remains of a small dinosaur that was discovered near Ghost Ranch! In any case, this brief and seemingly not kid-oriented trip, ended up being a fun and memorable experience for him too.
