White Sulphur Springs, Mt. Airy, North Carolina

5 people follow this spring.
Directions:

Description:

Revered for ages for high mineral content and healing properties, former site of historic white sulfur springs resort. Tested for mineral content and cleanliness.

Nearest Address

133 white sulfur springs road mt airy 27030

Directions from Nearest Address

N/A

Vital Information

  • Fee: No Fee
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: N/A
  • Temp: N/A
  • pH: N/A

Hours Spring is Open:

24/7/365

GPS: N/A

Map Link: White Sulphur Springs Map

Submitted by: anna

Responses

  1. It has been many years since I visited the spring, but I was so glad I did. My great-great-grandparents William and Mary Minter owned the White Sulphur Springs Hotel at the spring before the Civil War. In our family it was always called “Old White.” Lovely place!

  2. water smells very strongly of sulphur, hence the name. i really like it and i think it’s great. amazing old towns nearby as well worth checking out. if you take 52 N up the mountain towards VA, past Cana i guess is the town, you will be surprised at what you see alongside the road! White sulphur springs road is not marked with a traditional road sign, but there is a hanging painted sign that says white sulphur springs off of Riverside Rd. it is a new upscale community. the spring is probably about 500 feet on the left side after you turn on the road.you will see a bunch of signs around it telling you about the spring, and the spring itself is below ground level. it was night when we went, and we went too far to the cabins and houses and such but eventually turned back and found it.

    1. White Sulphur Springs is located just 3.5 miles from Historic Downtown Mount Airy, NC. 133 White Sulphur Springs Road. It is just 3 miles north or Riverside Park on NC Highway 104. The site is also just 8 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway at Willis Gap. If you leave the water “uncapped” over night, there is no odor or taste. The minerals are still present. People visit virtually every day to partake of the mineral waters. it is cold water that comes from an underground spring.

  3. The water has been tested and is safe to drink. 
    An
    analysis conducted by GeoScience and Technology, P.A. affirmed both the mineral
    content and its safety for consumption. White Sulphur Springs developer and
    Mount Airy native, Burke Robertson, commissioned the study.

    Calcium, sodium, sulfate and magnesium are the predominate minerals found in
    the spring water. Each of these is considered beneficial for various aliments
    and maladies. Mineral waters vary in their medicinal effects depending on the
    various water components and the configurations of those components. Today,
    these essential nutrients are all too often lacking in the industrialized
    nations where there has been a high increase in the consumption of refined, fat
    rich and processed foods. 

    Calcium is essential for bone growth, may help
    prevent osteoporosis, is essential for many neuronal activities, has been shown
    to reduce the risk for kidney stone formation and colorectal cancer and helps
    block the absorption of lead by the body.

    Sodium is the main mineral in the extracellular
    fluids in the body and is essential for maintaining fluid balance. It is
    essential for nutrient transport and helps regulate blood vessels and blood
    pressure.

    Sulphur in the form of sulphate combines with
    calcium and magnesium making the uptake of both calcium and magnesium more
    accessible. Essential to the production of insulin, thyroid hormones and
    collagen; sulphur also plays a significant role in carbohydrate metabolism as
    well as healthy skin and hair. Sulphur waters are stimulant, diuretic and
    beneficial for such inflammatory conditions as gout and rheumatism. 

    Magnesium is essential to work with calcium for
    bone growth and neuron activity. It is also essential in many enzyme activities
    including energy production, muscle contraction, blood coagulation and protein
    metabolism. It is also thought to help prevent osteoporosis, hypertension and
    atherosclerotic vascular disease. 

    Today, you will find the spring much the way it was
    described over 100 years ago. Local residents are frequently seen visiting the
    site on the White Sulphur Springs lawn, filling jugs of the medicinal mineral
    water to carry home.

  4. Thank you Mr. Robertson for offering this special place for us to visit…everything looks very nice and simple.  Very peaceful…I drove up and saw the cabins…they also look very peaceful.  I hope to contact you soon and rent one for a weekend.  My visit today was a great one.  Again..thank you for access to such a great evening of peace and simplicity. 

  5. Anna, I just visited this site today for my first time…I live just 10 minutes from this fantastic place.  I enjoyed collecting the water…even taking a sip.  Then barefooted across the soft grass…releasing my “inflammation”…we took a walk through the creek…and then enjoyed the hammocks as the wind blew us into euphoria…wonderful energies from this place…I will definitely be back…”For more water!” 

    Jonathan Bailey

  6. I am nearby and thrive on Gods pharmacy…thank you Anna for posting this… I have a friend just the other day tell me…we need to go get some water.. 🙂 Since this is just over the hill…looks like a great place to feel the vibes.  Thank you again. JBailey

  7. White Sulphur Springs is a 145-acre site in Mount Airy, NC, that was once home to the legendary turn-of-the-century White Sulphur Springs Hotel.

    Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the hotel attracted affluent travelers from all along the East Coast who retreated here to enjoy the lush landscapes, rejuvenating mineral springs and cool mountain breezes.

    The new White Sulphur Springs development recaptures the graceful southern charm of its distinguished past as the site is transformed into a modern-day residential retreat celebrating the simpler life.

      1. We have had the water tested and it is safe to drink. All the parameters were within acceptable ranges for public water supply system in North Carolina. The primary minerals are calcium and magnesium.

  8. 1/28/24 – filled our bottles today and left a seed cake for the birds. The spring is pretty close off of riverside road, on the left by the creek well before you get to the new event space. It is below gound and hard to see, but we found it!

  9. Visited this spring in my mom’s hometown. Absolutely gorgeous. The spring and directions how to get there are just as described by others below. It is located on the grounds of a Wedding Venue, but access is not restricted. The water tastes wonderful. Strong sulfur smell, but mild and sweet taste.

  10. Made trip to this spring on February 20, 2016. Easy to find. Collected water and yes – very strong sulphur odor. Left bottles open over night as recommended and odor was gone. Site has info about springs posted. Beautiful location!

  11. I went to this spring at 1pm on a super hot day. The spring is off to the left side, before the split in the road. It is well maintained and down some steps. They plan on building a spring house on top at some time. The spring flows cold and I filled 14 gallons total. I was very happy. I smelled the high sulfur content by the odor which does go away over night with cap off as mentioned here by owner. I enjoyed this spring and the water is cool and delicious!!

How to Collect Spring Water

Drinking pure spring water is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Our bodies are over 99% water at the molecular level, so water affects every aspect of our biology. Yet, not all water is created equal. Almost all the bottled spring water available is pasteurized for shelf stability, which neutralizes many of the powerful health benefits such as increased hydrogen, healthy probiotics, and crystalline structure. For more about why unprocessed spring water is the best water to drink, read this.

The best way to guarantee you are getting real unprocessed spring water is to collect it yourself. This is a short and simple guide filled with information about how to gather spring water. We will cover how to find a spring, how to collect the water, how to honor the spring, how to store the water properly and other tips.

FindASpring.org is the best resource for locating a spring near you. However, not all springs are on the map. First, check the map to see if there is a spring in your local area. If there is, look at the reviews and comments. Has anyone shared helpful information about flow rate or posted a water test result? Is the spring in a pristine area? Do a bit of research and make sure the spring is safe to drink from. If you have any doubt about the purity, don’t risk it and get a water test, HERE. If you don’t see a spring on the map in your area, there still might be some that aren’t listed yet. First, ask the older generation who have lived in your area a long time if they know. You can also ask people in your community who might already get spring water such as people at a health food store or at a farmers market. Another great option is to view A US forest service map, where many springs have been marked. You can view these maps through the Gaia GPS or All Trails hiking apps on your phone. The map overlay you want is USGS Topo. Not all are easily accessible or ideal for drinking, but some are and it can be a fun adventure to find them. We have found over half a dozen great springs this way.

Once you’ve found your spring, figure out how you are going to gather the water. Is it right on the side of the road and easy to access or do you have to hike to it? We recommend storing spring water in glass instead of plastic to preserve the purity of the water. It is better for the environment, your body, and the water. Even BPA free plastic has toxic chemicals that can leach into water and cause health issues. If you do want to use plastic for safety reasons when filling at the spring, we recommend transferring the water to glass as soon as possible. FindASpring is sponsored by Alive Waters, which offers beautiful reusable glass. They have a 2.5 gallon option, which is a convenient size for carrying that isn’t too heavy. They also sell handles that you can use to transport the jugs even more easily. If you have to hike to access the spring, we recommend putting the water jugs into an extra large backpack to hike the water out with ease. We use Osprey packs that hold 2 jugs each. You can also use a wheelbarrow or even a stroller depending on how easy a walk it is.

Filling 2.5 Gallon Alive Waters Jug

When you get to the spring, remember to first give back before you take. Springs are considered sacred in indigenous cultures around the world for their life giving water and also as a connection to the inner earth. A powerful and simple way to give back is to clean up. Is there any trash that needs to be collected? Could you move any dead leaves or sticks to improve the flow rate? Show up in service. Some other wonderful ways to give is with a moment of expressing verbal gratitude, singing songs to the water, offering the water an ethically sourced crystal, a feather, or some other physical gift. Flowers are a popular and beautiful thing to offer, but please be careful to source organic ones as most flowers from the store are sprayed with pesticides and can be toxic to put near a spring. Also, flowers can attract bugs as they decay, so it can be best to offer them to the flowing water directly or a little downstream from the spring head.

When gathering the water, fill the jug as close to the spring head as possible, never gather downstream. Be very careful as wet glass is extremely slippery. Make sure the lid is securely fastened. When transporting the spring water home, the jugs can sometimes slide around the car. Secure them in place or wrap them with towels or something so they don’t crash into each other.

How you store your spring water is essential. It is not pasteurized like spring water from the store, so it will start growing algae if left in direct sunlight. This is good because it means it’s alive! If the water you drink can’t even support the most basic life forms, how do you think it will support your body? Store your water in a cool, dark place such as a dark corner, pantry or closet. The fridge is ideal if you have room. Some people prefer to filter their water through a Berkey filter before drinking, but if the spring is pure, it’s not necessary. We drink our spring water completely unfiltered.

How long the water stays good for depends on how cold a temperature it’s stored at. Spring water is best fresh. We personally do not prefer to drink spring water past 2 weeks old. However, we know other people that will drink it at a month old. It’s great to get in a rhythm where you know how long the water lasts you and put your collection day on the calendar in advance.

I believe that water is calling us to reconnect with her in the deepest way, to gather our own water. Just like our ancestors did. Our ancestors didn’t have fancy water machines. They also didn’t create villages or settle where there was no water. Water was revered as the center of the community and the nodal point around which life could spiral out and take root.

Here’s to restoring the sacred connection with the waters of life.

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