A Brief History of the Circle A Ranch
The Circle A Ranch is part of what once was the traditional Navajo and Apache summer camps and grazing lands. During Spanish rule the year-round Rita (creek) de los Pinos made the area valuable for colonial ranchitos. The present borders were established in 1910 by John Young, a Morman colonist and US Forest Service ranger.
In the 1920's, when artistic-minded easterners were attracted to northern New Mexico's enchanting landscapes, the present two-story adobe lodge was built and a dude ranch established. The nearest post office and telephone exchange were 65 miles away. The route here from the city was a dirt road through the pueblos of the Santa Ana, Zia, and Jemez. But folks came.
In 1954, two young school teachers, Alice Bartlett Woolf and Elaine Bartlett Charvoz, purchased the ranch and converted it to a girl's summer camp. They established a magical world for the girls, many of whom have returned to relive fond memories. Besides the creating art, music, drama and multi-cultural celebrations, they roamed the forest and meadows, swam in the lake, and explored the "little grand canyon".
Their father, Ross Bartlett bred and trained American Saddlebred horses, and so each girl was fitted with saddle and horse. The camp closed in 1978 when Alice and Elaine retired. The ranch has remained with the family since, operated as a hostel, meeting place and guest ranch.
Ross Bartlett often said "We are only stewards here. Others have been before, and others will come." On that basis the family opens the ranch to intrepid travellers wishing them the peace and magic of this remarkable place. Come for a visit or stay and help us carry the Circle A energy into the future.
Our Climate
Daily Temperature Averages and Extremes
- Extreme Max. is the maximum of all daily maximum temperatures recorded for the day of the year.
- Ave. Max. is the average of all daily maximum temperatures recorded for the day of the year.
- Ave. Min. is the average of all daily minimum temperatures recorded for the day of the year.
- Extreme Min. is the minimum of all daily minimum temperatures recorded for the day of the year.
Monthly Average Total Precipitation
