Arizona

Photo

Description

High flow! Can fill a 3 gallon in under 2 minutes.

Nearest Address

Steward Observatory parking lot, top of Mt. Lemmon

Directions from Nearest Address

Begin at Steward’s parking lot. Walk toward the observatory, past the gate, and take the first hiking trail to your left. Continue down the hill, taking the right path at any trail junction. (There is also wild tobacco growing along this trail if you know what to look for.) About a mile down, the trail will turn abruptly to the right, and ahead on the right you will see a metal shed. Across from this shed, there is a hill (with sunflowers in the summer) dropping off to your left. You will be able to hear the water flowing. There are about 5 stone steps leading down a few feet, and a pipe sticking out from the hill!

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

Daylight. Access road to Steward is closed during the winter.

GPS: N/A

Map Link: Sunflower Spring Map

Submitted by: Bri Date

Description

This is an awesome spring! The site surrounding the spring was once a camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Their project, was to replant forest in the surrounding area that had been logged as a result of the dense Ponderosa Forest found in the region. The CCC, called “Indian Gardens” home in the spring of 1933. Since that time, the town of Kohls Ranch has placed a tap over the spring to bring it back into their subdivisions. The spring itself however, has overflown the restraints of the tap. Now days, the spring is found gushing out over the wall of what could be the construction of a cement retaining wall that the CCC had built. Just two weeks ago, I was meditating near the spring, when I noticed the water change color. It had gone from clear, in a low turbidity zone, to dark muddy waters in a matter of seconds. As I ran over to the spring, I was amazed to see that the spring had made a new birth. This new place where the spring was pouring out had completely bypassed the tapped section, and now was coming out from just beneath the above mentioned cement retaining wall. It was a very cool thing to be witness to, as I had just filled my water there moments before.

Nearest Address

Kohls Ranch

Directions from Nearest Address

Head East out of Payson on highway AZ-260. Travel approximately 15 miles. Look for the “Paleo Site”, which is the turn just before the Indian Gardens site. Make a right onto the unmarked road. (If you have made it to a left hand turn after the “Paleo Site”, you have gone too far. A turn around can get you back in just a few moments time.) The unmarked road is paved initially and maintains for only 100-150 yards, and then turns to gravel. Approximately 10 yards after it has turned to gravel you will come across a gate. The state of Arizona keeps the gate locked as Indian Gardens is used as a pick-up spot for huge water pillows which are used in the event of a fire in the surrounding area. Get out of your car, and cross the small gate. Proceed down the dirt trail roughly 100 yards. As you start to approach a small bridge, the sound of gushing water should be unmistakable. The spring is to the West of the small bridge by roughly 10 yards.

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

Open day/night

GPS: N/A

Map Link: Indian Gardens Spring Map

Submitted by: Andrew Fiala

Description

No spout, but this water pours straight off the rock face and trickles on down towards the East Verde River. This area is clean, but difficult to get to.

http://arizonahighways.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=232

Nearest Address

Payson, Arizona 85541

Directions from Nearest Address

Start from Payson, Arizona:

Head NORTH on BEELINE HWY S/AZ-87 toward E FRONTIER ST.
Turn RIGHT onto HOUSTON MESA RD/NF-199. Continue to follow HOUSTON MESA RD. Turn RIGHT onto CONTROL RD/NF-64 (Portions unpaved). Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto NF-199 (Portions unpaved). Turn RIGHT to stay on NF-199 (Portions unpaved). Turn RIGHT onto NF-32 (Portions unpaved). End at Washington Park, AZ

The three-quarter-mile trip to the spring at the Washington Park Trailhead can be reached from the parking lot. The path heads north down a gentle slope about 70 yards until it crosses the river — only a dozen feet wide and maybe 10 inches deep at this spot. Conveniently placed stepping-stones provide a dry crossing at the lower end of a shallow pool ringed with bright-yellow monkey flowers. After walking up a short slope to the Highline Trail (No. 31) sign, we turn left onto an old overgrown logging road that parallels the river.

A 150-yard stroll up the road amid ponderosa and fir trees leads to the visible scars of the 1990 Dude Fire. Blackened logs offer mute testimony to the fury of the flames. Sweet white blossoms decorate a thicket of raspberry bushes while Gambel oaks and bracken ferns pioneer the newly opened slope. Downed trees crisscross the road and create a barrier to hiking. The logjam can be avoided by bushwhacking to the left, but surefooted hikers can have fun clambering over the logs.

After a hundred or so yards of careful picking, we leave the tangled logs behind and see in the grass the first rusted implements from the old hatchery enticing us forward. Another 200 yards of casual walking through shady silence, and the meadow of the hatchery appears.

A bit of pipe here, a hunk of timeworn metal there alert us to its presence. Maple and apple trees decorate the meadow. The former holding ponds overflow with an unruly mass of green, decorated with vincas’ periwinkle-colored blossoms resembling tiny fan blades.

This stream is frigid, and only about 100 feet upstream from here is the birthplace of the spring. You will have to fight your way through a thorny raspberry thicket to find the spring. Surrounded by a jungle of cut-leaf coneflowers, water gushes from the slope.

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

N/A

GPS:

N/A

Map Link: Pieper Street Spring Map

Submitted by: Andrew Fiala

Description

No spout, but beautiful and delicious waters. Well kept inside Tonto National Forest.

Nearest Address

Christopher Creek, Arizona

Directions from Nearest Address

From Payson:
Start out going NORTH on BEELINE HWY S/AZ-87 toward E FRONTIER ST.
Turn RIGHT onto AZ-260 E.
Turn LEFT onto CHRISTOPHER CREEK LOOP/OLD HIGHWAY 260.
Turn Right across from the Post Office entering Tonto National Forest.
Follow road to bathroom facilities at the end of the dirt road.
Head towards the river, cross it, and then follow the old logging trail (which looks like a wash out towards the rim, up river).

Approximately 1 mile into the hike you will come up to a sign which points off to your right slightly and says, “See Spring 1/2 mile”
The trail will cut across the river and past 2 or 3 rock fire pits. Approximately 30 yards past this is where the spring makes its birth. The water is coming out of limestone and has a slight aftertaste along those characteristics.

I know folks that have been drinking from this water for over 30 years and speak highly of its taste and the beautiful hike along the way. As of today, 1/24/09, I can verify all these claims.

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

Unknown

GPS:

N/A

Map Link: See Spring Map

Submitted by: Andrew Fiala

Photos

Description

This is a tapped spring. It is near Sedona and if you go to Raw Spirit Fest this is the spring nearest the event!

Nearest Address

Sedona, AZ

Directions from Nearest Address

This spring is super easy to find, it is right on Highway 89a between Flagstaff & Sedona.. you can pull right up to it in your vehicle! I will post the actual coordinates soon! It is a well frequented spot that locals have been going to for over 15 years and the spring is quite popular, even at night people were stopping to fill up bottles!

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

Unknown

GPS:

N/A

Map Link: Harding Spring Map

Submitted by: Kyle Nordwall & Ginger Robinson

Description

Totally natural spring that pours out of the side of an escarpment. This spring is located in Tonto National Forest. I was told by the Gila County Hydro-Geologist that this is some of the best water to drink in all of Arizona!

Additional Information: http://www.hohokamhiking.com/hiking-arizona/fossil-springs.php

Nearest Address

Strawberry, Arizona

Directions from Nearest Address

Directions to Fossil Springs

Take Highway 87 towards Payson. You’ll pass Payson, Pine, and then you’ll come to Strawberry. At Strawberry take a left on Fossil Creek Road. Stay on it for about 5 miles. The first 2 miles or so is paved, the next 3 miles will be on a well-maintained dirt road that any car can drive on. After about 5 miles on Fossil Creek Road you’ll see a turnoff that leads to a parking lot on the right side. That’s where you begin.

The trail is fairly down-hill right from the start. While you are descending you get a clear view of the Mogollon Rim. The trail is also filled with beutiful vistas of the pine forests that surround this area and the desert mesas that jut upwards out of the valley. The hiking is fairly easy going since it is mainly downhill and the trail is well-traveled. As you are descending you will see from a distance a strip of brillant green vegetation. This is where Fossil Springs is flowing.

When you are nearing Fossil Springs you will come across a rocky river bed that you must cross. It was fairly dry during our trip but the boulders are probably large enough you can walk across without too much difficult even if there is water.

When you start to recognize the change in vegetation from pine to leafy trees, you will come across the first spot where a spring pours from the ground. This is an excellent place to get your water. You can also ask some local folks about a few other locations where the water pours directly out of the limestone formation.
Trailhead GPS: N 34 24.402′ W 111 34.106′
GPS Location of Destination: N 34 25.457′ W 111 34.400′
Trailhead Elevation: 5600 ft.
Elevation at Springs: 4320 ft.
Elevation Change: 1280 ft.
Nearest Town: Strawberry, AZ
Length: 7 miles round trip
Difficulty (10=hard, 1=easy): 6

Vital Information

Hours Spring is Open:

Unknown

GPS:

N 34 25.457′ W 111 34.400′

Map Link: Fossil Spring Map

Submitted by: Andrew Fiala