Falling Springs, Duarte, California, CA 91008  5/5 (3)

28 people follow this spring.
Directions:

There is a spring that is well known to cyclists who are riding up CA 39 up towards Crystal Lake/Angelus Crest Highway. The spring  spills from the mountainside into a road-side ditch. The spring is around the 4000 foot sign near a switchback turn.  See coordinates below. This is a popular spot for cyclists who are riding up the mountain to refill their water bottles.

 

Responses

  1. Just went here yesterday for the second time. Parked at the lot across from the abandoned-looking house, and walked across to the spring right behind the 35.50 mile marker.
    A man come out from the house and asked if we were there for water, because the better water is 30 feet down the road. The one we were at, he said, is clean enough but the lower one is better.

    So we walked a little down the road on the same side, and there is another spring very, very close to the road. This water did seem colder!
    Another man came from the house and said to us that he’s been drinking the water for 20 years!
    It’s smooth tasting, strangely has a nice mouth feel. (We tested the first, higher up spring at 211ppm. We also tested for contaminants and it came back negative. The lower, better spring is 258ppm.)

    Here’s a picture link to the lower, better spring.
    http://imgur.com/a/kzUjA

    Our personal suggestion is to get a 5-foot PVC pipe, funnel, and elbow connector piece. The elbow piece makes it easy to put the funnel in and still have the pipe horizontal, right into your 5-gallon bottle!

    Enjoy the water! <3

  2. The road was closed the few times I went up earlier this year due to a mud slide. But I was finally able to make it up a few days ago. You can hear the water before you see it. There is room for a car or two just across the road. I was able to fill a quart jar in seconds. Not sure about the legality of collecting here so I didn’t stay for too long. Tested it when I got home with a kit I got from Home Depot, all the levels came in at normal ranges, and the tests came back negative. Water tasted great was nice and cold. Unable to tell if the water is coming from the ground at the collecting point, or if it is exposed further up. There are cabins near by. Ultimately based on the tests I took and the history of people drinking from here I would accept it as safe. However the drive is long and the collecting location is exposed to passing cars. Not sure this will be a regular source for me.

  3. Since this is the closet spring to two other possible springs, I will post some information about them. The first one is a historical area that was the main water source for Native Americans in that area. This place had a lot of running water back in 1982 when they were tearing up the hills for housing construction. However, at least one topographical map showed several springs that are still there. The area is called Powder Canyon and it’s surrounded by Rowland Heights, La Habra and City of Industry. It’s a park mainly used for mountain biking and hiking. The other place still has springs flowing from the hills and this is off Carbon Canyon Road in Brea. This was the site of a famous resort and hot springs called La Vida. It was there for over 100 years as a developed resort but it was one of the main hot springs for Native Americans over 100 years ago. I was there about a month ago but it was late in the afternoon and I didn’t want to venture further in because I was alone. I have seen a large springs flowing with water on another occasion about year ago. There are about two YouTube videos posted about this area. For those of you that like to explore new possibilities for water sources, you might find something worth tasting!

  4. Hari Om everyone – update for January 2022 – it was our first time visiting this spot to fill up. Water is very clear and clean looking and quite cold. We filled up about 25 gallons – we found it easiest to fill 1 gallon jugs at the topmost part where the flow is strong, and then fill our bigger 5 gals with that. Overall good water although does have a slightly drying effect on the mouth and definitely may particles/minerals that make it hard water. We will probably mainly use it for cooking and teas for now instead of straight drinking water.

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.

US Find A Spring members can get a 15% discount at WaterCheck.com use coupon code COMMUNITY

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