1960’s

Off Highway 13 north of Meeker, the non-descript County Road 17 heads off to the northwest to Juniper Hot Springs, also referred to as Maybell Hot Springs.  The county road was always well maintained due to the coal mines and farms back in the valley.  We usually arrived on this portion of the road after dark and in the winter the rabbits were very plentiful and they liked to dart out in front of the car to take advantage of the light provided by the head lamps.  It was almost like a real life game of “whack-a-mole” only this time we were doing our best not to hit the critters.

Juniper Hot Springs had a number of small “joined” cabins as well as some private baths and a big outdoor pool.  There was also a nice little café on the property.  It was owned and operated by Stella & Luella Craig (sisters) until the late 1990’s when Luella’s health finally got the best of her and they moved into the big city of Craig, Colorado.  The two sisters ran the pools, operated the cafe’; sold some wonderful ‘Juniper Burgers’ and rented rooms in the hotel cabins.  Their pies were unmatched anywhere on Earth and I made a point of eating as much of them as possible.

We always traveled with numerous families and made the best of what the area had to offer.  There was the open range managed by the BLM and the state which offered nearly unlimited room for snowmobiling and rabbit hunting.  Between rides the kids would often go swimming and eat in the café.

On one particular trip Tommy and Genie Carter and their kids joined us.  Sean Carter was my age and we had been friends for years.  Our days were spent hunting, snowmobiling and swimming in the pool.  We never had any money at that age but Stella and Luella just let us carry a tab which my father was sure to settle up before the end of the weekend.

Hunting was an adventure in itself as the rabbits were smart.  I remember going off in to the back country tracking the rabbits.  We would stop to take our shot and if successful we would have to set our guns on the snowmobile seats and trek through the deep snow to get them.  Just as you would bend down to pick them up, they would run off.  Knowing full well we could not get back to our guns fast enough, they were never to be seen again.

Frustrated and cold, Sean and I returned to the comfort of the café for more pie.  By the end of the weekend I am sure we ate our weight in pies.  Every vacation to the springs ended too quickly, but I am sure my father felt they did not end soon enough.  It was years later that I learned Sean and I had eaten over $75.00 in pies that weekend, although I have my doubts on the final tab.

Juniper Hot Springs sat dormant for many years until recently when it was purchased by new orwners with big plans for the place.  The new owners have kept the pool but most of the buildings were too dilapidated to keep and were subsequently torn down.  They have plans on building a new resort there and I can hardly wait to take my kids to go see the place.  It is available for a small fee to swim in the pool.  No other services are presently offered.