Laurel Forge Pond Spring, Gardners, PA  5/5 (3)

9 people follow this spring.
Directions:

Description

The Spring is right on Railroad Bed Rd just past the Laurel Forge Pond. The water comes out of a white PVC pipe onto the side of the road.

There is a nice short hike to Pole Steeple (Nice View) opposite the Pond. There is a car parking area at the base of the hike.

Nearest Address

Old Railroad Bed Rd off Pine Grove Rd in the Michaux State Forest.

Directions from Nearest Address

If you look up Laurel Forge Pond in PA (google maps) you will see it is South West of Harrisburg.

Vital Information

  • Fee: No Fee
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 18
  • Temp: 52° F
  • pH: 7.1-7.92

Hours Spring is Open:

24/7/365

GPS: N/A

Submitted by: Tony Stevenson

Responses

  1. WOW! I just went today and filled up my 20 glass bottles I had lying around my house. It was an almost 3 hour drive from Wilmington Delaware but this is the only spring in the area where I felt I could trust based on reviews. The water tasted absolutely amazing. There is a feeling that falls over you when you drink pure water from the earth. I will drive 3 hours again and again just to drink from this amazing spring. There is a plastic spout that is connected but I wasn’t worried as the water flows too fast to be affected by anything. Last time I tasted water this good was from a Glacier. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.

  2. I refill my bottles every time I hike in beautiful Pine Grove Furnace State Park. This water is fabulous. A park ranger said this is the 3rd cleanest water in Pennsylvania!

  3. i have found this spring they other day…. water is very refreshing and good…. you definitely get wet shoes while your filling your containers up…supposely there is another spring in the area on rt 233… just havent found that one yet…

  4. Went out with two of my grown children to look for this spring over the weekend. With the help of a nearby cabin owner, I was able to find it. The GPS coordinates were right on the money. Several other folks were loading up containers when we got there and I came away with six gallons. I only wish I had brought more containers! The next time I’m in the area, I’ll be back for more of this outstandingly tasty water.

  5. Found this spring while visiting surrounding areas. Did not personally test water, going based what’s here. I feel the water is great and fresh. Met locals, some collecting water for years. The nearby trails and views are beautiful. Please do your part if visiting to keep clean, many are dependent on this source.

  6. This spring has really good drinkable water. I checked it out a few months ago. It’s in an area where there is no phone service for miles, but my GPS unit still worked to help me find the road. It’s about 3/4 of a mile down Old Railroad Bed road. I started drinking this water exclusively, and my friends and I make a weekly run to it to refill. If we go during the day on a weekend, there is almost certain to be other people stopped there to refill, too.

    There is another spring about ten minutes away, on Rt. 233 in Newville, several miles out from the park if you’re headed to I-81. Look for an iron pipe on the side of the road dumping water into a storm drain.

  7. I made a trip up to this Spring last weekend. It is the best tasting Spring water I have ever had. You can keep your expensive gimmick waters. From now on all my drinking water will be from Pine Grove Spring. That little bit of PVC pipe isn’t hurting a thing. Nothing can seep into water flowing that fast through just a few feet.

  8. BEST water in the world! I have been drinking this for decades, and am still standing at 65! It is also a great way to get iron, as this area was a source of iron ore back in the day~

  9. This water is was named “Awesome Water” by Tony Stevenson.  I will be forever grateful to Tony for telling me about this spring.  RIP, Tony – we will honor and remember you with every sip.

  10. This is a beautiful spot in a state park. There are nearby cabins for rent and fishing in the pond. The water gushes out of a short pvc pipe which is attached to a metal pipe coming out of the rock. I wouldn’t use any container larger than about 1/2 to 1 gallon because you must extend your arm to almost its fullest to reach the water from the dry area beside the spring. If you stand in front of the spring wear shallow wading boots but you should be able to fill 5 gallon containers that way. It is located at N40.03518 deg W077.27185 deg.

  11. I clocked the springs ph at 7.10 ish and low tds of 17 or 18
    AND MORE IMPORTANTLY!! The name of the road is OLD railroad bed road. Not railroad bed road. Huge difference being that I got lost. Check it out. Its a lil ways down and tastes soooo good. 52 degrees

  12. Tested on 1/5/13

    TDS Meter = 15

    Tested the water using Watersafe Test kit and got the following:

    Nitrate/Nitrite = <2.0

    Nitrite = 0

    Ph = 6.5 -7.5

    Hardness = 0

    Chlorine = 0

    Lead = Negative

    Pesticide = Negative

    Bacteria = Negative

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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