Field Exercise Log #2 - Jemez Hot Springs

<< I just realized I made one long blog entry with photos for all three of our field exercises ... thought I should separate and expand a bit ... here is the second of 3>>

The “wild” Jemez hot spring – as contrasted with the municipal bath-house in the town itself – is a spring, an “ojo” in Spanish, located along the road between the Valles Caldera and the town of Jemez springs. It is less consistently and permanently occupied than the Caldera and is used differently by a different public. Visitors to the Jemez hot spring park on the highway or in a (currently under renovation – looks like it had some wash-out from storms) pull-off on the side of the road, hike down a fairly well-developed trail to the river, cross on a very sturdy footbridge (looks to have been installed by a governmental agency, its concrete, metal, and sawn planks), and head up the hill.
The uphill climb on the far side of the river is less accommodating to hikers, with gnarled roots, steep and slick areas, and heavy vegetative growth in most areas. Leading up into the ojo itself (the soaking pools) the trail still looks ancient, with rough-hewn stones, about 8-12" square-ish, built into the side of the hill as stairs. Some of the "stairs" are even living tree roots - it has the feel of climbing to a forest temple, up the stone stairs, to the altar. Very cool. The soaking pool itself is about 7’x12’ in size and maybe 3.5’ deep at its deepest point - and warm (maybe 100 degrees), tho not hot as it was when I was last there 17 years ago. I recall it being quite hot (about 105) and this has been confirmed by other hot-spring-frequenters recently – the pool is definitely cooler now. I recall there was a hotter, smaller pool up the hill farther but we had neither the time nor inclination to hike uphill more.
The space has clearly been used by humans for decades, if not hundreds, of years (maybe longer?) but it is understood to be a public space and seems to be respected as such. I have the impression that the space has been, and indeed IS currently, physically constructed by consensus among visitors to the ojo (spring) - there is no concerted management evident on the far side of the river - the little bit of concrete between some of the rocks at the spring looks to be from different batches, possibly brought up by hand by conscientious visitors caring for the space - the style and workmanship is distinct from the measured and professional workmanship of the government-issue trials and fences and benches on the near side.
I wonder who cares for the springs? Is it a concerted or individual effort? Are the efforts ever made explicit in text or conversation? Or is the maintenance performed by understanding, by individuals noticing what needs done and taking care of it competently?