Fern Spring, Yosemite National Park, CA

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Fern Spring

Description

No spout. It is kept very well. It is in yosemite national park in california. Protected land. Covered in shade. There are rocks around the perimeter of the spring to help it maintain it’s structure.

Nearest Address

Yosemite National Park

Directions from Nearest Address

It is a small natural spring in Yosemite Valley near the Pohono Bridge, it flows into the Merced River. After you cross the bridge it is on the right hand side and there is a sign. The spring is such a nugget because I have never seen anybody stop there and when I was there some tourists stopped because they saw me over off the roadway and probably thought I was looking at a deer but when they realized it was a spring they just got back in the car and kept driving. People will like take a picture of it but thats about it very few people understand the value of it. I know it is of good quality because I drank from it all week and all day and felt great. I didn’t get the temperature when I was there but it is really cold. I have glass 5 gal bottles I was filling up and as I was filling it the bottle was fogging up and I had to move my hand off of the spout because my hand was getting frozen. It is ice cold! I did check the tds when i got home and it was like 14 or something really low and i didn’t have a digital ph. teseter but i put a ph strip in there and it looks like it is between 6.5 and 7.

Vital Information

  • Fee: No and Yes
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: around 14
  • Temp: N/A
  • pH: between 6.5 and 7

Hours Spring is Open:

Unknown

GPS:

N/A

Map Link: Fern Spring Map

Submitted by: Ray Demeritt

Responses

  1. Update 4/3/2019
    I tested the water with a TDS Meter (for dissolved solids) and it was a 12 – very clean!
    I am a local and drink from this spring. Yesterday I was there and saw a park visitor pull up and he threw a stick for his dog to fetch inside the spring. I yelled nicely at him to please not let his dog into the pool as it was drinking water. He acted a bit puzzled and questioned me, and I explained to him that it was both drinking water and Sacred. I then left, and I don’t think his dog went in (he stopped it), but, yikes. If you are local, please be aware.

  2. This spring is MAGICAL! Absolutely magical. Water is extremely cold and tastes very close to distilled. I didn’t have my TDS meter but I’m sure it is quite low in minerals. There is something very special about this spring — it is clear how this was a sacred location for native peoples. My only regret is that I didn’t bring my big glass bottles from home! The geotagged location for the spring is completely off, but the directions given are correct. Heading *into* the park, it is only a small ways up past the Pohono Bridge on the right. There is a pullout and a sign marking the spring and it’s significance. Quite a heavy flow and very easy to fill bottles. Give thanks to this magical spring when you go — the water is BLESSED! <3

  3. Went to this spring a few weeks ago, flow rate was amazing, no need for a spout. The google maps pin that is on the find a spring map is somewhat off, took me way up outside the valley, this spring is located in the valley, just drive towards the valley and you will see it on the right hand side, can’t miss it.

  4. I went today and it’s not running 🙁 It’s stagnant. Kinda strange since we just had a few days of good rain here. I was there in August and it was flowing well. Now it’s barely dripping. Not enough to catch and I was worried about stagnation. With more rain hopefully it will flow again.

  5. My friend and I have each been collecting over 25 gallons of water, once a month from Fern Spring for 2 years and have never gotten sick once from this delicious, cold, fresh water. I have no idea where the pin is situated, looks like it’s way up the mountainside somewhere. But the spring is right on the road, JUST PAST THE BRIDGE on the right hand side as you’re heading into the valley from highway 120 or as you’re heading back around to go toward the village again. It’s very convenient and well worth stopping.

  6. We just brought 20 gallons back from our trip to Yosemite last week. Even with the drought and the snow pack being low this year, the spring was going strong. Nancy, the first time we drank from this spring we had our TDS met and tested it. I do not remember the number, but it was unbelievably low – like in the 10s or something…close to distilled.

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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