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- Do you ever feel a spiritual connection with nature?
- Are you curious enough to see if you could?
- Do you enjoy visiting unique, one of a kind, places?
- Are you attracted to relatively undeveloped, rustic resorts?
- Can you accept the possibility of experiencing some of North America's largest wild animals peacefully grazing within a stone's throw of you? (Caution! Actually throwing stones at a thousand pound elk? NOT recommended!)
If so, take notice! I've spoken of this place before in threads on RF, but a recent event recalled my attention to it. First, though, I'll tell you what it is not:
1) It is not the most beautiful place in all of Colorado. There are many other more beautiful places.
2) It is not easily accessible. It's a three and a half hour drive from Colorado Springs and a bit longer drive from the Denver International Airport.
3) And it is anything but "touristy". If you adore stylish "I love Colorado" T-shirts, and cute little figurines of bears pooping in the woods, this most likely will not become your favorite haunt.
That's what it's not.
Here's what it is. Valley View Hot Springs is a remote resort perched on the side of a mountain. It overlooks the world's largest inter-mountain valley. The 100 mile long, thinly populated, San Luis, which -- according to Wikipedia -- is the home of at least 500 working artists. The nearest town to the resort itself, Alamosa (population under 10,000) is over 25 miles away. Even on a dark night, Alamosa is no more than a dim glow on the horizon. All of which puts the Hot Springs "in the middle of nowhere".
There are nine soaking pools at various locations up and down the mountainside, most of them natural, each of them unique, and each roughly around body temperature. There's also a lovely sauna and a few other nice amenities.
But Valley View's real claim to being special is this:
People treat Valley View as if it were spiritually sacred.
Of course, not everyone. But I've been there several times, and depending on the trip, one-quarter to fully one-half of the guests were speaking in whispers, just as if they felt they were in a cathedral. People almost routinely describe it as "sacred". Even those who do not themselves feel the sacredness of Valley View tend to respect those who do.
Frankly, I have no idea why so many people feel it as sacred. It's beautiful, but -- like I said -- not the
most beautiful place. You look out over the valley from the mountain and are impressed by the view, but you are not likely to feel awe at its beauty. I have been to more beautiful places where people have spoken in anything but whispers. Gorgeous places visited annually by thousands, and no one has ever said to me those places feel sacred. Yet, I can no longer count the number of people who have said Valley View is sacred. Whatever it has, it has something that is virtually unique.
Maybe it's the animals? You can almost expect to find wild black tail deer, elk, or even the occasional moose come down from the mountain to graze within thirty or forty feet of you. You could even sight a black bear. In the evenings, you can expect to hear -- but most likely not see -- a chorus of coyotes. Overhead, hawks and eagles sometimes pass by. But I myself don't think it's just the animals, nor even the generally undeveloped nature of the resort.
The closest I have come to explaining why Valley View is held sacred by so many people is that it's clothing optional. At Valley View, no one will ever object to your going without clothing, and no one will ever object to your wearing clothing.
Now, if you know nothing at all about nudists and naturists, know this: Contrary to myth, they are NOT generally motivated by an egotistical desire to show off their bodies. Nor are they hyper-sexual individuals titillated by the sight of mere nudity. If you've heard either of those myths about them, you've been mislead.
It is much more truthful to say they simply enjoy going without clothing. Some folks are like that.
But how does all that translate into holding a place sacred?
Well, nudists and naturalists tend to be among the most tolerant and accepting people you'll ever meet. A friend of mine, a Christian pastor, once told me that she and her husband had just gotten home from going to a nudist resort for the first time in either of their lives. "I was astounded, Phil, by how accepting everyone was of each other. They were actually practicing 'Christian Love, and practicing it better than my congregation does on a Sunday!"
So I think it might be that sense of being accepted just as you are -- warts and all -- that causes so many people to hold Valley View spiritually sacred.
On a moonless night, the San Luis Valley explodes -- with stars. There's no better word for it than "explodes". I can all but guarantee that if you live in a city, you will most likely have forgotten how many stars can be seen in a non-urban sky. The Milky Way is clearly visible, and the coyotes don't quit calling until well into the night. If you gaze straight up, you might even experience the eerie feeling of being in imminent danger of falling upwards into infinity.
Yet, even despite the "noisy" coyotes, the valley is
quiet. There is a certain quality of sound there that perhaps only rural people are quite familiar with. Sounds seem peculiarly discrete, as if each noise is wrapped in a cushion of silence. You can hear your thoughts there. The buzz of a single passing fly will leap out at you. You'll notice things you usually don't notice.
If you've ever wanted to experience a spiritual connection to nature, this might be the place to do it.
Nearby is the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Although not officially clothing optional, the Park is still in Colorado, right? Some folks go nude there, too. Far to the South is Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. About a six or seven hour drive.
To the North is the real South Park, which has been made famous by the cartoon show. Nearby, Salida is a small town known for art galleries and whitewater rafting. People who have houses on the river there tell me they wake up in the mornings to watch eagles fishing.
And, of course, further North are the dangerous Colorado ski resort towns just waiting for any fool reckless enough to plumet down a mountain slope lashed to mere sticks and without the sane comfort and safety of being attached to climbing ropes. Sheesh! I tell you, such an unlikely "sport" will never catch on. Stick to climbing 200 foot cliffs. It's safer! Just when was the last time you ever heard of someone crashing into a tree at 90 miles an hour while climbing
up a mountain? Huh? Stay safe. Climb cliffs!
Valley View Hot Springs
64393 County Road GG, Moffat, CO 81143
(719) 256-4315
A couple necessary disclaimers: My information may be dated. I haven't myself been there in at least six years. But the place is still under the same management, so I doubt it's changed much. Last, the notion Valley View is sacred soil apparently belongs at most to just half the people who visit there. The rest just like the place. Except for
@Terese. and
@SalixIncendium. Grumpy Terese and Salixincendium just don't like nothing. And I have my suspicions they probably ski, too. Both of them.
