Minerally taste, clear, very little sediment. cool but, not ice cold. Piped.
The water was named due to travelers who would be severely thirsty and drink too much of the water when they found it. Not because the water itself is toxic and gives one a belly ache!
From Ojai: Take hwy 33 toward maricopa. Pass matilija canyon and wheeler gorge. A few miles past you will see mile mark 22 with waterfall on left. Hike up past the waterfall and find the pipe.
Additional notes: Keep going up highway 33 and you will see a definite waterfall, on your left side, if you’re headed north, also a place to park in the dirt. As of March 2020 the spring is flowing from a pipe about about 100 feet to the left of the waterfall, if you are looking directly at it. It’s not very far from the road, and it’s pretty easy to fill up.
Vital Information
Fee: No Fee
Access: Public
Flow: Continuous
TDS: 342
Temp: 21° C
pH: 7.5
Hours Spring is Open:
N/A – should be open 24 hours, however not safe to travel up to the spring while dark. daytime is best.
Road Construction seems to land right at the site as of this posting date, I wasn’t able to stop and access the shoulder at that location linked on this page.
Stuart, where are the natural springs in and around SB? We live near East Beach. Are there any around here that are free and open to the public? You can email me ds @ stuart – arts . com
I will coming back from Africa this summer.. I will be raw for almost a year! WOOP WOOP! i am super excited to try this spring out. It shall be my first! It seems to be the closest the valley and I do love Simi! <3 I do not have to boil the water right? Excuse my ignorance friends! 🙂
After an epic bike ride out and back Hwy 33 today (May 19, 2011), we drove up to Mile Marker 22.3 and saw the waterfall from the pullout. The hike to the top of the waterfall was quick, 14 minutes total round trip with around 8 min to fill up. Definitely best to walk up in the creekbed. Careful for the poison oak growing all around. Elevation gain was only 149′. We each carried five 1-gallon containers in backpacks. Best to have hands free for descending safely as there are a couple tricky steep no-traction sections. Otherwise, very nice hike up. I did shriek when I saw a snake bathing in the creek that kindly made his way to land to allow us to pass! Curious that there is a pipe that feeds from the top down to the bottom though we never checked it out as we were up for the adventure!
Almost missed it because of road construction, but eventually found it. The description on this page is accurate. The water has a slight mineral taste and is cool but not ice cold. The trail was either eroded or overgrown and I couldn’t make it to the falls but I noticed someone piped it all the way down near the road. The bees seemed to like it so I assume it’s safe. Hope you enjoy this water!
thank you guys for all the info. i just went up there today and did the hike. it was quite short and lovely. about 10 minutes up from the road and you will find the pipe. just follow the flowing stream and it will take you to the pipe to its left. i filled up about 3 gallons of water. it was the first time in my life i have drank pure water from the earth. it was quite life changing and as well as delicious.
Leslie, You crack me up. You say you are worried about “Fukushima radiation and pesticides getting into the water” This water comes from inside the ground so it has less radiation and pesticides in it than you do. You are full of radiation and pesticides because you are walking around in it. You don’t have to put something in your mouth to get this stuff in you. You are getting blasted with it 24/7.
That aside… I went to this place and it was awesome. I hiked up to the top of the waterfall, but decided not to go any further since I was alone. A sprained ankle in the middle of nowhere would be disasterous. So I filled my bottles at the waterfall. So what do you guys think? The flow-through rate was strong, so one would think the water’s path is constantly washed clean, so how contaminated can it be? Just to be safe, I am using it for tea only. I plan to go back with other people sometime and go to the source. It was so beautiful there. Loved it!
wow, what a gem. best spring i’ve been to, at least in terms of the scenery and the waterfall. I don’t even want to say too much… i don’t want this place well known! just hike up back and forth alongside the waterfall (we wore vibrams and got them wet yes) and you will find the pipe in a few minutes. you will probably want to carry your water in a backpack because you may need two hands to support yourself on the steep hike going back down, although my boyfriend got down ok with only one hand free, i wouldn’t recommend it… if you are not limber and/or adventurous you may be discouraged by the hike, but i found it wonderful. maneuver around the bees.
Euterpe farms well in Ojai was a better solution for me. Its access is at the side of the road and after being disappointented I couldn’t get my supply at Belly ache springs, at least I didn’t go home empty. Its “country water” not a spring, and there was definately a thin mineral coating on the surface of the water i could see in the pot I use for tea water, and it left calcification rings in my jars. Anyhow check out the video- http://youtu.be/vtCEk1GsSPM
I just went!!!! OH MY GOD it’s a f*%king GNARLY climb, short but INTENSE.. I’m a pretty physical guy, and I was exhausted after this. I went ahead and purchased a 6-gallon glass carboy + “carboy hauler” and custom rigged a backpack, but it was still too hard to do it, I almost lost my balance like 9x on the way down….. So, guys, does anyone else want to invest in some type of hosing system so we can temporarily cap it off and get the stream to go all the way to the base of the steep, steep hill so we can fill up easier [and in large volume]???? Let me know…
yes to your idea some type of hosing thing – im in the area from end december 2014 to mid jan 2015. shoot me an email if you wanna go get water as a team!!
Ive seen Mr Vitallis take his water and swirl it into a vortex – but I still don’t know why. The water wizard tells us that water and nature flow in spirals. How does well water fit into this? If I get well water should I vortex it? Also, please, if anyone reading this thread lives near Taft Ca, please email me at HURSTDONUT@Gmail.com. Finding people interested water, community, or anything that is not a raised truck or a TapOut hat is hard to come by. I need people to talk to.
Liked your vid. I live here in Ojai. First, I’ve checked with two of the local city water providers here and they say they are not adding fluoride to the water, luckily. Second, Reverse Osmosis water you should not be drinking because this ultra “clean” water leaches minerals from your body trying to “fullfill” itself with the minerals stripped from it. Third, though I’m not much of a hiker, over on Rice Road near Lomita, Smitty West at the Euterpe Farms (You’ll see a big old fashioned windmill near the road) offers, right at the roadside, well water at donation 25 cents a gal. He says it’s an isolated aquifer and that it is a test site for Ventura County so they’re periodically running extensive tests on certain site like his and apparently his water is good and safe. Myonly concern about ANY water source nowadays is Fukushima radiation and pesticides getting into it, but what can you do?
Leslie
Hey guys, i went up there a few weeks ago and i’d HIGHLY recommend you wear some pants, sometimes it gets really steep on the downhill escpecially with gallons of water on you and you have to slide down on your butt. Also some shoes, gloves a longsleeve that you dont mind getting dirty because you’re definately going to get your shoes wet.
Also, i went up there once and couldnt find the location, keep going up highway 33 and you will see a definate Waterfall, on your left side, if you’re headed north, also a place to park in the dirt. This climb is not easy, i underestimated it, good thing i brought some gloves because sometimes you have to grab on things to pull yourself up..
So Be careful guys, it takes about 15-20 min to get up there your first time, follow the water, if you’re doing things that you think is impossible, you’re probably headed the wrong way.
I clicked for the movie and you’re right. It’s gone. So who is Voice Entertainment and what do they want? Are they selling the video? Stuart (StuartHassel@gmail.com)
Hi,
We just tried to get up to the pipe at the top yesterday 31 December 2010, but we gave up when we realized how steep it was. I’m sorry I didn’t read the comments for the advice given here. I’ll have to get back there some day…
walk straight up the creek…dont go up the hillside…you dont have to. Just have shoes that can get a little wet. Bring a backback…if you hike straight up the creek it will take 4-5 minutes tops. I made it waaaay too hard for myself last time. Walk straight up and youll be there in no time.
Awesome. I stopped by today, but I had no hiking gear and was filling a 2 3-gallon carboys, so I realized pretty quickly a hike was not going to happen. If there are some intrepid water foragers out there who feel like tying climbing ropes to make the ascent (and descent!) easier, we would all appreciate it. I only made it to the second or third tier before I realized that it would be impossible to fill by jugs by myself- so I don’t know if the rest of the trail is as daunting as the beginning. Still, I’d love to get up there some day. . .in the mean time, I filled up near the waterfall. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’ll be very careful, as it has traveled a long way over land to get to my bottle. Thanks to all for the find! Happy drinking!
D
It sounds like you have to bring a big backpack and carry some plastic one gallons (the NZ Artesian from trader joes is a great bottle for using for springwater…the plastic handle allows the carriage of at least two gallons per hand, plus the backpack. Sounds like a few trips are in order to fully stock up though! Ill be checking this out next month after a sedona load up
I went here on monday the 29th – wow it was a hike. I had (10) 1 gallon jugs with me, and after the first climb I stopped at just the four I filled. Climbing back down with 2 gallons in each hand was crazy. You have to cross the stream and the slopes are very steep. If I didnt have more sedona water at home I wouldve kept going but I was sweating after the first round. the water is really nice though – I saw a guy filling up at the bottom but I would be a little wary – lots of birds and who knows what else around…the water comes down at least 200 feet from the source, lots of time to pick up some funk.
So definitely bring good shoes, a backpack, and expect your feet to probably get wet on the way. But the view and the water are both epic – I would surely come back and do it again. Its at mile marker 22-37 – right across from the view is the waterfall – there is a great parking area. When you drive back down the mountain there are lots of white sage and even wild anise growing, and I even picked some sweet pomegranates closer into town. Fun day!
This was the very first natural spring I've ever been to and was suggested by my cousin (his second time) to seek the best natural water. Boy was he correct. The water coming from spring is absolutely amazing. So fresh, tastey, RAW, and yes if you are skeptical……it is completely safe. I drank over 6 liters within a few days and had absolutely no problems. A true resource for a raw vegan (such as myself). The spring is a little challenging to get to so bring some good shoes (traction or even water proof), maybe gloves as the rocks are sharp, and a buddy to get more water. Probably better to claim water during sunlight too even though we did it in the rain. But rest assure, this gift of life from God is so amazing.
We tried to find this spring a couple weeks ago. There were trails on both sides of the falls, and we didn't know which one to follow, we tried both but they were both really washed out and overgrown at certain points so we thought we were doing something wrong. But reading the descriptions here, it seems like it can just be a tricky spot to get to! We're going to go back in a couple weeks and try again.
I hope youve gone back since…its really worth it. Most of the hard part is on the right side of the stream as you walk up…its steep up and then down, and then you cross over the stream and keep going up. You were probably pretty close. Bring a hiking backpack and some good shoes and youll be able to get maybe 5 gallons per climb.
I was covered in sweat after the first climb…we really have to earn that water lol
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!! First Raw Water Harvest. We drove up from Topanga Canyon once we learned about Daniel and all his amazing work. We love findaspring.com and will continue to spread the word…..we are firm believers that we are now truly connected and fueled by Mother Nature. Yes this hike is pretty serious and pretty difficult with a 3 gallon jug…..but we did it. We're gonna bring a few bottles and do several trips next time….and make this a monthly habit. There is also a site called ojaispringrevival.com that has more info about the spring and a water profile!! We're also gonna try and make this expedition a bit easier for others someway without disrupting the natural flow.
We're super impressed with the initiative of Julie and Sarah finding the source of this spring, and for Julie's help when we contacted her for more information. Its a steep grade, you do have to hike through the stream in some places and there is really only the hint of a trail. To get to the pipe, stay on the water and keep going up…its only about 10-15 minutes from the waterfall to the pipe. The mineral water is lovely to drink. You can probably only hike about a few mason jars of water out…its precarious going down in some places.
2024 update
It looks like the pipe has broken and is now further up.
Definitely go up during the day
First you stay left and pass the metal dam 60 ft from the road.
then cross the creek to the right and go up a steep iffy trail with a few trees and roots for climbing support. About another 60ft or so, across the creek from the trail you will see a Grey metal pipe with a slow flow out of it. That is the spring
I currently put a rock under it because it way laying on the ground.
Sometime it would be a blessing to us all if we will hike up and install a new pipe. I’d say 3 people could get it done. 1 if your savvy 🙏 The trail is very precarious, so I only filled 1 gallon strapped to my body and a 32oz water bottle.
I just took a trip up to the spring last weekend and the normal pipe (10 minutes up the creek) coming from the side of the shale hill was dry. The water was instead flowing out of the skinnier pipe which parallels the trail and the creek. Water was pouring out of the skinny pipe right at about the top of the waterfall and cascading down into a tin bucket held up by ropes. The skinny pipe appeared to be coming from the same spring (right next to the normal pipe). I filled my water from the end of the skinny pipe near the waterfall, but it was quite tricky to do so. I haven’t tasted it yet.
Does anybody know what’s going on with that? Is it the same spring water, just a different pipe? I tried to look for a switch in attempts to change the course of the water back to the original pipe, but couldn’t find anything.
Very confused since I’ve been coming up here for years.
Been to this spring and was wondering if anyone has tested the water? Any concerns of heavy metals leaching into the water with the pipe being so corroded?
I’ve been going there every other weekend for a few years now. It’s very good, safe and runs year round. The soil is loose on the way up and there’s a tree on the first ledge that has exposed roots now. So if you do hike up, please try to not to disturb things too much and be respectful so we can have this for future generations.
The other comments mention Euterpe Farm as an alternative. There’s no hiking, it’s easy to get to and has really good private well water (less minerally, ‘sweeter’). The owner Scott is really nice to put a fawcett at a pull-off in the road and asks to donate just $.25 per gallon. I’m usually more generous. It’s also tested year-round. Its at 667 Rice road.
I filled up some bottles at Euterpe Farms yesterday; the cost is now $0.50 per gallon. I would not describe the taste as ‘sweet,’ but it is clean-tasting. Didn’t notice any mineral sediment as an earlier comment mentioned. Easy access, nice place to fill up!
Steep but very doable hike up to the Piped spring. Its Delicious. Be careful hiking back down if you bring a bunch of water back with you. It can get slippery. Just a little passed Mile marker 22 off Hwy 33 coming from Ojai. you will see the water flowing down the side of the mountain on your left where there is a place to park your car. follow the water up until you reach the Pipe!! Love it! so much fun.
We're super impressed with the initiative of Julie and Sarah finding the source of this spring, and for Julie's help when we contacted her for more information. Its a steep grade, you do have to hike through the stream in some places and there is really only the hint of a trail. To get to the pipe, stay on the water and keep going up…its only about 10-15 minutes from the waterfall to the pipe. The mineral water is lovely to drink. You can probably only hike about a few mason jars of water out…its precarious going down in some places.
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.
Written by Dakota Chanel. Water Priestess and Ceremonialist. DakotaChanel.com
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Belly Ache Springs, Ojai, CA
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Chris
Road Construction seems to land right at the site as of this posting date, I wasn’t able to stop and access the shoulder at that location linked on this page.
By the way, there are natural springs in and around Santa Barbara, California
Stuart, where are the natural springs in and around SB? We live near East Beach. Are there any around here that are free and open to the public? You can email me ds @ stuart – arts . com
Thanks,
Dana
Me too!
I will coming back from Africa this summer.. I will be raw for almost a year! WOOP WOOP! i am super excited to try this spring out. It shall be my first! It seems to be the closest the valley and I do love Simi! <3 I do not have to boil the water right? Excuse my ignorance friends! 🙂
After an epic bike ride out and back Hwy 33 today (May 19, 2011), we drove up to Mile Marker 22.3 and saw the waterfall from the pullout. The hike to the top of the waterfall was quick, 14 minutes total round trip with around 8 min to fill up. Definitely best to walk up in the creekbed. Careful for the poison oak growing all around. Elevation gain was only 149′. We each carried five 1-gallon containers in backpacks. Best to have hands free for descending safely as there are a couple tricky steep no-traction sections. Otherwise, very nice hike up. I did shriek when I saw a snake bathing in the creek that kindly made his way to land to allow us to pass! Curious that there is a pipe that feeds from the top down to the bottom though we never checked it out as we were up for the adventure!
Would love to visit one day
Almost missed it because of road construction, but eventually found it. The description on this page is accurate. The water has a slight mineral taste and is cool but not ice cold. The trail was either eroded or overgrown and I couldn’t make it to the falls but I noticed someone piped it all the way down near the road. The bees seemed to like it so I assume it’s safe. Hope you enjoy this water!
thank you guys for all the info. i just went up there today and did the hike. it was quite short and lovely. about 10 minutes up from the road and you will find the pipe. just follow the flowing stream and it will take you to the pipe to its left. i filled up about 3 gallons of water. it was the first time in my life i have drank pure water from the earth. it was quite life changing and as well as delicious.
Leslie, You crack me up. You say you are worried about “Fukushima radiation and pesticides getting into the water” This water comes from inside the ground so it has less radiation and pesticides in it than you do. You are full of radiation and pesticides because you are walking around in it. You don’t have to put something in your mouth to get this stuff in you. You are getting blasted with it 24/7.
That aside… I went to this place and it was awesome. I hiked up to the top of the waterfall, but decided not to go any further since I was alone. A sprained ankle in the middle of nowhere would be disasterous. So I filled my bottles at the waterfall. So what do you guys think? The flow-through rate was strong, so one would think the water’s path is constantly washed clean, so how contaminated can it be? Just to be safe, I am using it for tea only. I plan to go back with other people sometime and go to the source. It was so beautiful there. Loved it!
wow, what a gem. best spring i’ve been to, at least in terms of the scenery and the waterfall. I don’t even want to say too much… i don’t want this place well known! just hike up back and forth alongside the waterfall (we wore vibrams and got them wet yes) and you will find the pipe in a few minutes. you will probably want to carry your water in a backpack because you may need two hands to support yourself on the steep hike going back down, although my boyfriend got down ok with only one hand free, i wouldn’t recommend it… if you are not limber and/or adventurous you may be discouraged by the hike, but i found it wonderful. maneuver around the bees.
Gorgeous location, but to hard to access for any more than a couple of gallons. Check out my video for more- http://youtu.be/a-UKbOYrbJw
Euterpe farms well in Ojai was a better solution for me. Its access is at the side of the road and after being disappointented I couldn’t get my supply at Belly ache springs, at least I didn’t go home empty. Its “country water” not a spring, and there was definately a thin mineral coating on the surface of the water i could see in the pot I use for tea water, and it left calcification rings in my jars. Anyhow check out the video- http://youtu.be/vtCEk1GsSPM
I just went!!!! OH MY GOD it’s a f*%king GNARLY climb, short but INTENSE.. I’m a pretty physical guy, and I was exhausted after this. I went ahead and purchased a 6-gallon glass carboy + “carboy hauler” and custom rigged a backpack, but it was still too hard to do it, I almost lost my balance like 9x on the way down….. So, guys, does anyone else want to invest in some type of hosing system so we can temporarily cap it off and get the stream to go all the way to the base of the steep, steep hill so we can fill up easier [and in large volume]???? Let me know…
yes to your idea some type of hosing thing – im in the area from end december 2014 to mid jan 2015. shoot me an email if you wanna go get water as a team!!
Ive seen Mr Vitallis take his water and swirl it into a vortex – but I still don’t know why. The water wizard tells us that water and nature flow in spirals. How does well water fit into this? If I get well water should I vortex it? Also, please, if anyone reading this thread lives near Taft Ca, please email me at HURSTDONUT@Gmail.com. Finding people interested water, community, or anything that is not a raised truck or a TapOut hat is hard to come by. I need people to talk to.
Liked your vid. I live here in Ojai. First, I’ve checked with two of the local city water providers here and they say they are not adding fluoride to the water, luckily. Second, Reverse Osmosis water you should not be drinking because this ultra “clean” water leaches minerals from your body trying to “fullfill” itself with the minerals stripped from it. Third, though I’m not much of a hiker, over on Rice Road near Lomita, Smitty West at the Euterpe Farms (You’ll see a big old fashioned windmill near the road) offers, right at the roadside, well water at donation 25 cents a gal. He says it’s an isolated aquifer and that it is a test site for Ventura County so they’re periodically running extensive tests on certain site like his and apparently his water is good and safe. Myonly concern about ANY water source nowadays is Fukushima radiation and pesticides getting into it, but what can you do?
Leslie
Hey guys, i went up there a few weeks ago and i’d HIGHLY recommend you wear some pants, sometimes it gets really steep on the downhill escpecially with gallons of water on you and you have to slide down on your butt. Also some shoes, gloves a longsleeve that you dont mind getting dirty because you’re definately going to get your shoes wet.
Also, i went up there once and couldnt find the location, keep going up highway 33 and you will see a definate Waterfall, on your left side, if you’re headed north, also a place to park in the dirt. This climb is not easy, i underestimated it, good thing i brought some gloves because sometimes you have to grab on things to pull yourself up..
So Be careful guys, it takes about 15-20 min to get up there your first time, follow the water, if you’re doing things that you think is impossible, you’re probably headed the wrong way.
GOODLUCK
-Joe
Oh and this is true about the butt-sliding.. I ruined a perfectly good pair of shorts… zzZzzz -_-
This is to Debbie –
I clicked for the movie and you’re right. It’s gone. So who is Voice Entertainment and what do they want? Are they selling the video? Stuart (StuartHassel@gmail.com)
LOVE this spring…if youre going to boil any of your water for tea, get it from the waterfall…all the other stuff youll have to hike it in.
We put up a good vid for this one – check it out here –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8IaJnAwGwo
Enjoy!!!
Hi,
We just tried to get up to the pipe at the top yesterday 31 December 2010, but we gave up when we realized how steep it was. I’m sorry I didn’t read the comments for the advice given here. I’ll have to get back there some day…
walk straight up the creek…dont go up the hillside…you dont have to. Just have shoes that can get a little wet. Bring a backback…if you hike straight up the creek it will take 4-5 minutes tops. I made it waaaay too hard for myself last time. Walk straight up and youll be there in no time.
Awesome. I stopped by today, but I had no hiking gear and was filling a 2 3-gallon carboys, so I realized pretty quickly a hike was not going to happen. If there are some intrepid water foragers out there who feel like tying climbing ropes to make the ascent (and descent!) easier, we would all appreciate it. I only made it to the second or third tier before I realized that it would be impossible to fill by jugs by myself- so I don’t know if the rest of the trail is as daunting as the beginning. Still, I’d love to get up there some day. . .in the mean time, I filled up near the waterfall. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’ll be very careful, as it has traveled a long way over land to get to my bottle. Thanks to all for the find! Happy drinking!
D
It sounds like you have to bring a big backpack and carry some plastic one gallons (the NZ Artesian from trader joes is a great bottle for using for springwater…the plastic handle allows the carriage of at least two gallons per hand, plus the backpack. Sounds like a few trips are in order to fully stock up though! Ill be checking this out next month after a sedona load up
I went here on monday the 29th – wow it was a hike. I had (10) 1 gallon jugs with me, and after the first climb I stopped at just the four I filled. Climbing back down with 2 gallons in each hand was crazy. You have to cross the stream and the slopes are very steep. If I didnt have more sedona water at home I wouldve kept going but I was sweating after the first round. the water is really nice though – I saw a guy filling up at the bottom but I would be a little wary – lots of birds and who knows what else around…the water comes down at least 200 feet from the source, lots of time to pick up some funk.
So definitely bring good shoes, a backpack, and expect your feet to probably get wet on the way. But the view and the water are both epic – I would surely come back and do it again. Its at mile marker 22-37 – right across from the view is the waterfall – there is a great parking area. When you drive back down the mountain there are lots of white sage and even wild anise growing, and I even picked some sweet pomegranates closer into town. Fun day!
This was the very first natural spring I've ever been to and was suggested by my cousin (his second time) to seek the best natural water. Boy was he correct. The water coming from spring is absolutely amazing. So fresh, tastey, RAW, and yes if you are skeptical……it is completely safe. I drank over 6 liters within a few days and had absolutely no problems. A true resource for a raw vegan (such as myself). The spring is a little challenging to get to so bring some good shoes (traction or even water proof), maybe gloves as the rocks are sharp, and a buddy to get more water. Probably better to claim water during sunlight too even though we did it in the rain. But rest assure, this gift of life from God is so amazing.
We tried to find this spring a couple weeks ago. There were trails on both sides of the falls, and we didn't know which one to follow, we tried both but they were both really washed out and overgrown at certain points so we thought we were doing something wrong. But reading the descriptions here, it seems like it can just be a tricky spot to get to! We're going to go back in a couple weeks and try again.
I hope youve gone back since…its really worth it. Most of the hard part is on the right side of the stream as you walk up…its steep up and then down, and then you cross over the stream and keep going up. You were probably pretty close. Bring a hiking backpack and some good shoes and youll be able to get maybe 5 gallons per climb.
I was covered in sweat after the first climb…we really have to earn that water lol
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!
First Raw Water Harvest.
We drove up from Topanga Canyon once we learned about Daniel and all his amazing work. We love findaspring.com and will continue to spread the word…..we are firm believers that we are now truly connected and fueled by Mother Nature. Yes this hike is pretty serious and pretty difficult with a 3 gallon jug…..but we did it. We're gonna bring a few bottles and do several trips next time….and make this a monthly habit. There is also a site called ojaispringrevival.com that has more info about the spring and a water profile!!
We're also gonna try and make this expedition a bit easier for others someway without disrupting the natural flow.
We're super impressed with the initiative of Julie and Sarah finding the source of this spring, and for Julie's help when we contacted her for more information. Its a steep grade, you do have to hike through the stream in some places and there is really only the hint of a trail. To get to the pipe, stay on the water and keep going up…its only about 10-15 minutes from the waterfall to the pipe. The mineral water is lovely to drink. You can probably only hike about a few mason jars of water out…its precarious going down in some places.
2024 update
It looks like the pipe has broken and is now further up.
Definitely go up during the day
First you stay left and pass the metal dam 60 ft from the road.
then cross the creek to the right and go up a steep iffy trail with a few trees and roots for climbing support. About another 60ft or so, across the creek from the trail you will see a Grey metal pipe with a slow flow out of it. That is the spring
I currently put a rock under it because it way laying on the ground.
Sometime it would be a blessing to us all if we will hike up and install a new pipe. I’d say 3 people could get it done. 1 if your savvy 🙏 The trail is very precarious, so I only filled 1 gallon strapped to my body and a 32oz water bottle.
Hey everybody!
I just took a trip up to the spring last weekend and the normal pipe (10 minutes up the creek) coming from the side of the shale hill was dry. The water was instead flowing out of the skinnier pipe which parallels the trail and the creek. Water was pouring out of the skinny pipe right at about the top of the waterfall and cascading down into a tin bucket held up by ropes. The skinny pipe appeared to be coming from the same spring (right next to the normal pipe). I filled my water from the end of the skinny pipe near the waterfall, but it was quite tricky to do so. I haven’t tasted it yet.
Does anybody know what’s going on with that? Is it the same spring water, just a different pipe? I tried to look for a switch in attempts to change the course of the water back to the original pipe, but couldn’t find anything.
Very confused since I’ve been coming up here for years.
Hi all,
Been to this spring and was wondering if anyone has tested the water? Any concerns of heavy metals leaching into the water with the pipe being so corroded?
I’ve been going there every other weekend for a few years now. It’s very good, safe and runs year round. The soil is loose on the way up and there’s a tree on the first ledge that has exposed roots now. So if you do hike up, please try to not to disturb things too much and be respectful so we can have this for future generations.
The other comments mention Euterpe Farm as an alternative. There’s no hiking, it’s easy to get to and has really good private well water (less minerally, ‘sweeter’). The owner Scott is really nice to put a fawcett at a pull-off in the road and asks to donate just $.25 per gallon. I’m usually more generous. It’s also tested year-round. Its at 667 Rice road.
I filled up some bottles at Euterpe Farms yesterday; the cost is now $0.50 per gallon. I would not describe the taste as ‘sweet,’ but it is clean-tasting. Didn’t notice any mineral sediment as an earlier comment mentioned. Easy access, nice place to fill up!
Thank you god this info!
Steep but very doable hike up to the Piped spring. Its Delicious. Be careful hiking back down if you bring a bunch of water back with you. It can get slippery. Just a little passed Mile marker 22 off Hwy 33 coming from Ojai. you will see the water flowing down the side of the mountain on your left where there is a place to park your car. follow the water up until you reach the Pipe!! Love it! so much fun.
We're super impressed with the initiative of Julie and Sarah finding the source of this spring, and for Julie's help when we contacted her for more information. Its a steep grade, you do have to hike through the stream in some places and there is really only the hint of a trail. To get to the pipe, stay on the water and keep going up…its only about 10-15 minutes from the waterfall to the pipe. The mineral water is lovely to drink. You can probably only hike about a few mason jars of water out…its precarious going down in some places.