The spring comes out of a small pile of fractured rocks about 50 feet from where I collect. When I found it, it was spread out and running down the hill in several places so I channelized it with 6 mil black plastic and dug a space below the consolidated stream for a 5 gallon bucket. The grasses and water cress has now grown back and the water comes out crystal clear. Apparently nobody else used it…amazing!
Some people have asked me if the water is safe, so I will attest that I have been drinking it exclusively for 4 months and am not only still alive, but thriving, and never sick. I think the water may contain a bit of calcium carbonate because there are deposits evident. I think this is healthy though…strong bones.
Nearest Address
Cerro Alto Campground, Atascadero, California 93422
Directions from Nearest Address
Take hwy 41 about 1/4 mile west towards Morro Bay. It is on the right (uphill) side of the hwy; about 20 feet up the hillside from a small concrete culvert (8 feet across), the dead give-away is water running down alongside the hwy for 100 yards below the spring. Use extreme caution when pulling over or out; it is on a very curvy section. There is a small space to park across and down about 30 feet, but then you have to run across traffic loaded with heavy buckets. My last time I just parked right beside the spring and had 2 feet between my van and the road edge…much easier and safer I think.
Dave do you know where Miner's hardware is on 41? You head up 41 pass Miner's. After about 2 miles you will notice a little water on the left side of the road. Follow the water. When it stops take the first pull out and park. I walked to the spring to get my bearings. There are two pull outs one is about 30 feet before the spring the other is about 30 feet above the spring which is on the opposite side of the street. If you come to the campgrounds you have gone too far. Coming back there is a yellow sign triangle sign I think it is a curve sign right before the spring. There is a cement culvert with a metal crate where the spring runs into right along side the road. I have a little Tercel that I pull right next to the culvert and park. It is tricky. I am always a little nervous because there is not much space. Someone craved out steps just to the right of the spring. There is poison oak all around so be aware. I cut it back the last time I was there but it grows very fast. Good luck. Hope this helps.
I went west on hwy 41 which is morro road. How far is it past portola? Miners hardware is on el camino real. The only water I found was on the right side past the camp grounds. There was a concrete thing there but this does not seem to be the one. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Just visited this, it’s may 2021.. there was a pipe but it looks long from functional. I was able to fill my 5gal 3/4 full but it was slow and messy. The water is very good. Very minerally. Drank it all up, yum
New to SLO from SoCal. Any updates on testing? Piping? We have not yet checked out the spring but are looking forward to it. I have an inquiry into Abalone Coast Analytical regarding pricing for a fairly comprehensive test in light of the introduction of bulldozers. Thanks for posting Doug, and everyone.
I visited the spring yesterday (5/6/12). The water was flowing incredibly fast. There was a good waterfall landing in the small pool before the culvert. Check out the pic of the flowing water. The only spot I was able to bottle was at the bottom of the fall. It was hard to do so because there was so much flowing water. I had to take my shoes off, roll up the pants and to avoid from getting soaked. The water was flowing out crystal clear. However, the spring doesnt look very attractive. I think I am going to get the water tested to make sure. I climbed up and walked along of the spring trail until it got too think for me to go. I was hoping to find where the source is to see if there was a better bottle point. I too am going to try to find a way to use a pipe to make it more functional to bottle 5 gallon containers. Doug if you do hide a pipe would love to know where it is at. I want to figure out some how to make it a little easier to bottle. Thanks again for posting the spring. I have made the switch to only drinking natural spring water. It was such a blessing to find a spring relatively close. Also check out the picture of spring. Its a little blurry but you can see how much the water is flowing.
This Spring’s pretty gross. Can we pipe this somehow???? Anyone want to do it? Just clear out the shrubs, stick an L-pipe in the earth, wa-lah! Success!!
I got lost coming back to SLO from Los Osos and ended up in Morro Bay. I never go to Morro Bay except to go to the spring. I haven’t been in months. I had been thinking about the spring recently. I was missing it terribly. I was really torn. I didn’t want to go back to find it gone completely yet I had to know.
Was stunned to see the change. Didn’t know if it was good or bad but the little waterfall and free flow was quite a relief. I walked up as far as I could to try and determine the actual source but it got a little treacherous. They cut down the beautiful native bay to make room for the bull dozer and I felt the sadness.
I couldn’t wait to get back here to see if someone posted the change. I saw the rocks piled up in front and hoped that it was someone who used the spring. That must be you Doug. So delighted and thank you.
I cupped my hands and with much thanks and appreciation took several big gulps. IT”S BACK. I was immediately thinking of a way to funnel it also. What came to mind was a one of those big plastic dog collar thingys I could hold and funnel it down into the container. I like your idea very much also. I will certainly keep checking here to see what you come up with.
I am looking into the crystal springs facility here in SLO. That is a natural spring source also and there is no public access. That is not right. Mount Shasta just passed an ordinance banning such activity when coke and pepsi tried to set up a bottle plant there and take all their water. The ordinance passed and there is no bottling plant. I want to do that here.
I have no idea of distance Doug, so how far do you estimate that spring goes back or at least how much of the spring is traveling above ground?
Thanks very much Doug and if you are crazy that makes 2 of us.
Hi Golf. It was me who put the rocks there. I have been too busy to do the bucket funnel thing, but plan to still. If you go back (to the left) about 70 feet from where the water falls down into the culvert you will find the source coming out of a pile of fractured rocks.
I also think it is wrong to exclude the public from Crystal or any spring, but it would probably take a miracle to make it (them) public again. I predict that even morro spring will one day be privatized or capped off to prevent public use. In the mean time, I am very greatful it is still accessible.
Hey everyone, This is Doug, the original poster of this spring. I am gratified to see all the comments. I was starting to feel crazy for being the lone human collector of this precious gift.
I still have not tested this water, but I would like to, just to remove any doubt about possible bad stuff in it. I have been drinking it exclusively for almost 2 years now and am aparantly not dead yet and I have not been sick once either. In fact I am able to leap tall buildings now!
The last time I collected (about 11/25/11) I was pleasantly shocked to see that CalTrans had channelized it from the source (aparanly in an effort to stabilize the hillside), so now all the water flows rapidly to just above the culvert and the volume is way higher since lots of water seeped down the bank before. The plants will soon grow back and I intend to install a spout that a 5 inch pipe will pop into to run the water directly to the nice level concrete pad just a few step up from the road. It will be much easier, safer, and faster now to fill 5 gal buckets. Just pop the pipe in. Fill. Rehide pipe. I will let you know where I hide the pipe so you all can use it too. Just please put it back in its hiding spot so riffraff doesn’t use it as a javelin.
I went there August 2013. There was a fawn drinking upstream when I got there. This did not seem safe to me since I already have Lyme disease. I was really hoping this culvert thing was right above the actual spring. I hope a pipe can be installed right at the source to keep it free of particles, bugs and bacteria. The terrain is really steep there. I will never go there on a Friday again since there is too much trafic. Hope to see improvement for purity’s sake.
Went to the spring today to get my water, Oct. 23, 2011 and all the plastic sheeting had been torn up. There also was a newly formed trail that lead off to the left. I followed it for about 100 feet hoping to get to the actual source of the spring but the path was too narrow. I didn’t take any water. There was pooling and stagnant water so I didn’t think it would be pure. I wonder if anyone knows what happened here. Or if there is another spring around here. Here being San Luis Obispo I will go 10 miles either way for water. I am really going to miss that spring. Thanks
Water is 48 degrees and TDS today was 284. I am not exactly sure what the solid ions are but someone thought it was calcium. On Dan’s site he did mention I believe that a steady intake of calcium rich water is not advisable. Good to alternate. 02.20.11.
I see that the TDS and pH is posted, is that because someone had the water tested? I was wondering if there are any people who have drank this water for a long time. Also how are people sure that there are no contaminants?
Hey. I'm not clear on the directions. I'm coming up 101 from San Luis Obispo. I take 41 West and after 1/4 mile I'm still in sprawl. Is it 1/4 mile past the campgrounds or off of PCH?
Finding this spring was my Mother's Day wish. Great directions. Went to far the first time and ended up at the campgrounds. Coming back I saw the stream along side the road just like you said. 41 is ugly but found a turn out and turned around and parked in a pull out about 100 feet away and crossed the road. Next time will park right at the spring by the cement culvert. O.K. I am in heaven. That was so worth the trip. What a difference in taste. I mean it was sweet. Thank you everyone.
ya super sweet spring, been drinking from it for over a month and its such a blessing to have this fresh pure water source.. park on opposite side of road. enjoy!
Just visited this location yesterday. Was unable to locate the spring. I parked by the yellow 35mph sign and looked around the upside of the mountain and found no sign of water. I then crossed the highway heading downhill and still found no water other than the flowing river. I did not feel comfortable taking from the river so I left. Was I missing something?
We went to the spring on Sunday and climbed to the top of the rocks off the side of the highway. The water is running off from a source that’s further up the hill. I’m not sure how you can climb up to the source. For one, it’s grown over and two, the only pathway is the water running down and it puts you right at the edge of the side of the hill. We took some pictures. Where do I upload them?
Spring is alive, the dense vegetation made it impossible for me to go to the spring source. Water looks clear, but has a strange mouth feel and a very subtle bite. I would love for somebody to share results of a test. Perhaps I will test it myself. Good luck out there
I went to this spring and it is all dried up. They have some signs posted to not walk in the area as to let the area grow, but there is nothing at all.
I drove out there yesterday–dry as a bone. Also, the pull-off is very narrow and just beyond a blind curve with cars going by around 50 mph. And the climb up with an empty 5 gallon carboy is tough enough–very steep and loose. I can’t imagine getting down safely with 40 lbs of H2O.
Just collected 3 gallons from this spring. Wasn’t able to follow to the source-dense vegitation. Saw others parked across the road, maybe there’s another collection point on the north side of the road? Anyway, water is flowing well, but took me more than a few minutes to collect 3 gallons without a funnel or pipe. Collected from the concrete enclosure (going west from cerro alto, about .3miles, 30 feet past the 35 curve flashing yellow sign and solar panel/pole.
ok I’m updating! I drank the water for a few weeks and I am still alive and well! So i’m gonna say it’s probably safe. My dad told me water is self cleaning every 7 feet as long as it’s flowing, so even if it had to travel for a bit to get to the waterfall I guess that means it’s safe. Hope others can enjoy too!
Hi Liz. I emailed you about the spring. I’m planning on going to collect water for the first time today. Hope I can find it. I believe there must be more then one spring on this road. The directions are a bit confusing. One says it’s about .25 miles past Cerro Alto campgrounds travelling west. And another says it’s about 2 miles past miners going east. right before the curves caution sign. I really hope I’ll be able to find it today. I’ll post again later.
All the comments made me feel pretty uncertain about collecting here, but I went yesterday and the water is flowing rapidly at the small waterfall area into the concrete structure. I collected 18 gallons pretty quickly, but honestly im terrified to drink it. Because if the source is a ways up, and the source is only a small dribble as some have stated, how is it flowing so rapidly at the bottom? I couldn’t hike up to see as I had my two young kids with me. Doug, is the water collected at the waterfall safe to drink? I think the reason it’s hard to connect on this site is that there isn’t a way to talk directly and you don’t get notified if somebody else posts. Will someone email me if they’ve been drinking the water from the waterfall part? And whoever said they made the video I’d love to see that too! EMail me! mrslizabethanne@yahoo.com
Hello all, Heading to this spring next week. I have never been there and it sounds now a bit daring. Do I climb to the source or try gathering from the bottom. Of course I will climb…I am hoping to find the pipe or bring my own. Wondering if I need to bring some kind of funnel? Love spring water! Will have to make it work 🙂 Will check back before I leave to hear if anyone goes soon and reports! Thank you Doug for the info, more than grateful!
The paint on 1 drone could pay to get this natural water source in top shape. A bit high in calcium, but no chlorine, fluoride or medical contaminates and 7.5 ph. Gonna look for it.
Okay..well it seems everyone has disappeared on here and maybe gave up on this…I did not however. I just drop 3 hours round trip. The water that runs from the source right by the road doesn’t seem to be the best for drinking. I found a 10′ piece of white PVC pipe,had no ideas where anyone was putting this pipe to get any clean water, I hiked and climbed ALL THE WAY up that brutally steep hill to get to where that actually water was coming out, I was very dissapointed when I hiked all the way up there and say water barely trickling out of a whole in the ground. Im thinking about shading the spring on top of the hill from the sun and copper piping the damn thing myself. Everyone seems to have vanished, I guess thats good me me??? I’ll do my best to get a short copper pipe in the spring myself and get some good water from it. Last time I was there I made a detailed video of the whole process but no one seems to be around on here so Im not going to post it on youtube. Good luck all
Christopher Lee – I’m glad you are a frequent visiter to the spring. I have been going to the spring for some time. I have made posts in the past here on this site and no one has responded to mine either. I would really like to connect with you about the spring. I have not had the water tested but have been drinking for a while now. Lets connect soon and arrange a way to make this spring awesome. When are you going to go to the spring next?
Hello all, thanks for this post. I am wanting to visit this spring. Any new updates? As of today 11-5-2014 I am planning a trip to the spring. I am also willing to help work on the area for everyone’s use. I know that one very detrimental element to a spring is the sun. Hopefully it is still shaded. I will be heading up there this week or next. It is about an hour and a half drive for me and 3 hours round trip. The more info I can obtain on this spring the better. Thank you all and ONE-LOVE
I can attest that the pipes for the springs are all cut off. It takes too long to fill up any container from the small source up top so the bottom runoff where the concrete retainer is the best option.
I hope the water is safe.. I’ll be doing more research.
That’s sad.. I was hoping to have a natural spring to drink from out in SLO since I’ll be leaving the wonderful artesian spring water in Indianapolis for SLO next month. It must be the drought I guess.. Also, I’m wondering about fertilizers and the like in the water because I hear there’s lots of agriculture in the area. Aww.. I’ll miss my awesome spring in IN. 🙁 Fantastic water I’ll exchange for fantastic weather… you can’t have it all.
Soooo….any word on the condition of the water that you can see running from the road???? I have collected water from there with a TDS of around 250-280 and a PH of about 7.8 I believe…I’m worried about drinking it so I’ve been using it for plants…any word on it being safe to drink with out filtration??? Thanks
I am so happy to see that there is a spring near by. Thanks for all the posts. I am curious has anyone had the water tested and has anyone been able to find a solution to the accessibity issue.
Thanks Doug, and everyone for the accurate directions .
From hwy 101 we went west on hwy 42 about half the distance to hwy 1.
The Spring is clearly visible.
If you are going West on hwy 42 its on the passenger side of the hwy and it will come up on it quickly about 15 seconds past the road to get to the Cerro Alto campground.
Going East on hwy 42 the spring will be on the drivers side and if you get to Cerro Alto Campground Road you have just missed it.
It looks like someone had ran some pipe from the point where it comes out of the rocks. This unfortunately has been cut. There is some pipe still there but the path up to that point is mostly grown over with brush.
The next time we go, (Early NOV) Jordan and Myself will clear a path and provide assistance to the lanscape etc.
This time though I used a funnel I made by cutting a plastic 1.5l bottle in half and held it under the flow, and filled empty 1.5l glass bottles that way. It took about 20 seconds to fill one bottle.
Took a while to fill up 8 carboys this way but next time Im out there I will be prepared and ready to work on the area to make it easier to access.
I would like to help you with cleaning up and clearing out the spring to make it more accessible for everyone. Please feel free to email to talk about this further. I will come out and help you and can easily form together a crew of people to knock this project out in a few days. I look forward to hearing you
Hello, thank you for the post. I am glad to hear that you are wanting to clean up the area of the spring. And to make it more accessible for everyone who uses the spring.
I want to help you. I have talked with some friends who I have shown the spring to and they want to help as well. If you want to coordinate with me we can set up a date where I can bring 3-5 guys to help clear out and make it a more accessible storing for everyone.
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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Morro Creek Spring, Morro Bay, CA
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how can i see the video and why is it getting removed?
Dave do you know where Miner's hardware is on 41? You head up 41 pass Miner's. After about 2 miles you will notice a little water on the left side of the road. Follow the water. When it stops take the first pull out and park. I walked to the spring to get my bearings. There are two pull outs one is about 30 feet before the spring the other is about 30 feet above the spring which is on the opposite side of the street. If you come to the campgrounds you have gone too far. Coming back there is a yellow sign triangle sign I think it is a curve sign right before the spring. There is a cement culvert with a metal crate where the spring runs into right along side the road. I have a little Tercel that I pull right next to the culvert and park. It is tricky. I am always a little nervous because there is not much space. Someone craved out steps just to the right of the spring. There is poison oak all around so be aware. I cut it back the last time I was there but it grows very fast. Good luck. Hope this helps.
I went west on hwy 41 which is morro road. How far is it past portola? Miners hardware is on el camino real. The only water I found was on the right side past the camp grounds. There was a concrete thing there but this does not seem to be the one. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hey. I’m heading out that way today- these directions seem pretty detailed, so I don’t see how I can miss it. Thanks so much! D
Just visited this, it’s may 2021.. there was a pipe but it looks long from functional. I was able to fill my 5gal 3/4 full but it was slow and messy. The water is very good. Very minerally. Drank it all up, yum
Just came to this spring for the first time today. February 23, 2023
Hi Judy, how was the spring? Easy access? How hard is it to fill up 5 gallon jugs?
Thanks,
New to SLO from SoCal. Any updates on testing? Piping? We have not yet checked out the spring but are looking forward to it. I have an inquiry into Abalone Coast Analytical regarding pricing for a fairly comprehensive test in light of the introduction of bulldozers. Thanks for posting Doug, and everyone.
I visited the spring yesterday (5/6/12). The water was flowing incredibly fast. There was a good waterfall landing in the small pool before the culvert. Check out the pic of the flowing water. The only spot I was able to bottle was at the bottom of the fall. It was hard to do so because there was so much flowing water. I had to take my shoes off, roll up the pants and to avoid from getting soaked. The water was flowing out crystal clear. However, the spring doesnt look very attractive. I think I am going to get the water tested to make sure. I climbed up and walked along of the spring trail until it got too think for me to go. I was hoping to find where the source is to see if there was a better bottle point. I too am going to try to find a way to use a pipe to make it more functional to bottle 5 gallon containers. Doug if you do hide a pipe would love to know where it is at. I want to figure out some how to make it a little easier to bottle. Thanks again for posting the spring. I have made the switch to only drinking natural spring water. It was such a blessing to find a spring relatively close. Also check out the picture of spring. Its a little blurry but you can see how much the water is flowing.
Bryan
This Spring’s pretty gross. Can we pipe this somehow???? Anyone want to do it? Just clear out the shrubs, stick an L-pipe in the earth, wa-lah! Success!!
I got lost coming back to SLO from Los Osos and ended up in Morro Bay. I never go to Morro Bay except to go to the spring. I haven’t been in months. I had been thinking about the spring recently. I was missing it terribly. I was really torn. I didn’t want to go back to find it gone completely yet I had to know.
Was stunned to see the change. Didn’t know if it was good or bad but the little waterfall and free flow was quite a relief. I walked up as far as I could to try and determine the actual source but it got a little treacherous. They cut down the beautiful native bay to make room for the bull dozer and I felt the sadness.
I couldn’t wait to get back here to see if someone posted the change. I saw the rocks piled up in front and hoped that it was someone who used the spring. That must be you Doug. So delighted and thank you.
I cupped my hands and with much thanks and appreciation took several big gulps. IT”S BACK. I was immediately thinking of a way to funnel it also. What came to mind was a one of those big plastic dog collar thingys I could hold and funnel it down into the container. I like your idea very much also. I will certainly keep checking here to see what you come up with.
I am looking into the crystal springs facility here in SLO. That is a natural spring source also and there is no public access. That is not right. Mount Shasta just passed an ordinance banning such activity when coke and pepsi tried to set up a bottle plant there and take all their water. The ordinance passed and there is no bottling plant. I want to do that here.
I have no idea of distance Doug, so how far do you estimate that spring goes back or at least how much of the spring is traveling above ground?
Thanks very much Doug and if you are crazy that makes 2 of us.
Hi Golf. It was me who put the rocks there. I have been too busy to do the bucket funnel thing, but plan to still. If you go back (to the left) about 70 feet from where the water falls down into the culvert you will find the source coming out of a pile of fractured rocks.
I also think it is wrong to exclude the public from Crystal or any spring, but it would probably take a miracle to make it (them) public again. I predict that even morro spring will one day be privatized or capped off to prevent public use. In the mean time, I am very greatful it is still accessible.
Doug
I believe in Miracles Doug!!!! Thanks again for all the info. And I too am grateful. Jeanne
Hey everyone, This is Doug, the original poster of this spring. I am gratified to see all the comments. I was starting to feel crazy for being the lone human collector of this precious gift.
I still have not tested this water, but I would like to, just to remove any doubt about possible bad stuff in it. I have been drinking it exclusively for almost 2 years now and am aparantly not dead yet and I have not been sick once either. In fact I am able to leap tall buildings now!
The last time I collected (about 11/25/11) I was pleasantly shocked to see that CalTrans had channelized it from the source (aparanly in an effort to stabilize the hillside), so now all the water flows rapidly to just above the culvert and the volume is way higher since lots of water seeped down the bank before. The plants will soon grow back and I intend to install a spout that a 5 inch pipe will pop into to run the water directly to the nice level concrete pad just a few step up from the road. It will be much easier, safer, and faster now to fill 5 gal buckets. Just pop the pipe in. Fill. Rehide pipe. I will let you know where I hide the pipe so you all can use it too. Just please put it back in its hiding spot so riffraff doesn’t use it as a javelin.
I went there August 2013. There was a fawn drinking upstream when I got there. This did not seem safe to me since I already have Lyme disease. I was really hoping this culvert thing was right above the actual spring. I hope a pipe can be installed right at the source to keep it free of particles, bugs and bacteria. The terrain is really steep there. I will never go there on a Friday again since there is too much trafic. Hope to see improvement for purity’s sake.
Went to the spring today to get my water, Oct. 23, 2011 and all the plastic sheeting had been torn up. There also was a newly formed trail that lead off to the left. I followed it for about 100 feet hoping to get to the actual source of the spring but the path was too narrow. I didn’t take any water. There was pooling and stagnant water so I didn’t think it would be pure. I wonder if anyone knows what happened here. Or if there is another spring around here. Here being San Luis Obispo I will go 10 miles either way for water. I am really going to miss that spring. Thanks
jeanne, have you been up there recently? any updates on if its flowing again or what happened?
see my update below
Jeanne, see my update down below. The spring is usable again!
Water is 48 degrees and TDS today was 284. I am not exactly sure what the solid ions are but someone thought it was calcium. On Dan’s site he did mention I believe that a steady intake of calcium rich water is not advisable. Good to alternate. 02.20.11.
I think the directions Vitalis is giving are from the Cerro Alto Campground not from Hwy 101 in Atascadero.
I would love to find this spring. I drive 41 everyday. Is it in the canyon because the canyon is about 5 miles past Miners?
I see that the TDS and pH is posted, is that because someone had the water tested? I was wondering if there are any people who have drank this water for a long time. Also how are people sure that there are no contaminants?
Hey. I'm not clear on the directions. I'm coming up 101 from San Luis Obispo. I take 41 West and after 1/4 mile I'm still in sprawl. Is it 1/4 mile past the campgrounds or off of PCH?
Finding this spring was my Mother's Day wish. Great directions. Went to far the first time and ended up at the campgrounds. Coming back I saw the stream along side the road just like you said. 41 is ugly but found a turn out and turned around and parked in a pull out about 100 feet away and crossed the road. Next time will park right at the spring by the cement culvert. O.K. I am in heaven. That was so worth the trip. What a difference in taste. I mean it was sweet. Thank you everyone.
I love this water! Thanks for for posting on here!
ya super sweet spring, been drinking from it for over a month and its such a blessing to have this fresh pure water source.. park on opposite side of road. enjoy!
Cool!
Cool!
(35.4283523, -120.7600551)
Exact coordinates. Will post update about water after drinking.
Just visited this location yesterday. Was unable to locate the spring. I parked by the yellow 35mph sign and looked around the upside of the mountain and found no sign of water. I then crossed the highway heading downhill and still found no water other than the flowing river. I did not feel comfortable taking from the river so I left. Was I missing something?
Hi! I’m planning a little trip from LA to head to this spring and maybe camp nearby has any heard or experienced water gathering here lately ?!?!
We went to the spring on Sunday and climbed to the top of the rocks off the side of the highway. The water is running off from a source that’s further up the hill. I’m not sure how you can climb up to the source. For one, it’s grown over and two, the only pathway is the water running down and it puts you right at the edge of the side of the hill. We took some pictures. Where do I upload them?
Spring is alive, the dense vegetation made it impossible for me to go to the spring source. Water looks clear, but has a strange mouth feel and a very subtle bite. I would love for somebody to share results of a test. Perhaps I will test it myself. Good luck out there
I went to this spring and it is all dried up. They have some signs posted to not walk in the area as to let the area grow, but there is nothing at all.
I drove out there yesterday–dry as a bone. Also, the pull-off is very narrow and just beyond a blind curve with cars going by around 50 mph. And the climb up with an empty 5 gallon carboy is tough enough–very steep and loose. I can’t imagine getting down safely with 40 lbs of H2O.
Just collected 3 gallons from this spring. Wasn’t able to follow to the source-dense vegitation. Saw others parked across the road, maybe there’s another collection point on the north side of the road? Anyway, water is flowing well, but took me more than a few minutes to collect 3 gallons without a funnel or pipe. Collected from the concrete enclosure (going west from cerro alto, about .3miles, 30 feet past the 35 curve flashing yellow sign and solar panel/pole.
I’ll be checking out the spring as well. Hope it’s still running!
ok I’m updating! I drank the water for a few weeks and I am still alive and well! So i’m gonna say it’s probably safe. My dad told me water is self cleaning every 7 feet as long as it’s flowing, so even if it had to travel for a bit to get to the waterfall I guess that means it’s safe. Hope others can enjoy too!
Hi Liz. I emailed you about the spring. I’m planning on going to collect water for the first time today. Hope I can find it. I believe there must be more then one spring on this road. The directions are a bit confusing. One says it’s about .25 miles past Cerro Alto campgrounds travelling west. And another says it’s about 2 miles past miners going east. right before the curves caution sign. I really hope I’ll be able to find it today. I’ll post again later.
Road marker is the yellow speed signs that say 35 curve. It’s closer to Morro Bay.
All the comments made me feel pretty uncertain about collecting here, but I went yesterday and the water is flowing rapidly at the small waterfall area into the concrete structure. I collected 18 gallons pretty quickly, but honestly im terrified to drink it. Because if the source is a ways up, and the source is only a small dribble as some have stated, how is it flowing so rapidly at the bottom? I couldn’t hike up to see as I had my two young kids with me. Doug, is the water collected at the waterfall safe to drink? I think the reason it’s hard to connect on this site is that there isn’t a way to talk directly and you don’t get notified if somebody else posts. Will someone email me if they’ve been drinking the water from the waterfall part? And whoever said they made the video I’d love to see that too! EMail me! mrslizabethanne@yahoo.com
Hello all, Heading to this spring next week. I have never been there and it sounds now a bit daring. Do I climb to the source or try gathering from the bottom. Of course I will climb…I am hoping to find the pipe or bring my own. Wondering if I need to bring some kind of funnel? Love spring water! Will have to make it work 🙂 Will check back before I leave to hear if anyone goes soon and reports! Thank you Doug for the info, more than grateful!
The paint on 1 drone could pay to get this natural water source in top shape. A bit high in calcium, but no chlorine, fluoride or medical contaminates and 7.5 ph. Gonna look for it.
Okay..well it seems everyone has disappeared on here and maybe gave up on this…I did not however. I just drop 3 hours round trip. The water that runs from the source right by the road doesn’t seem to be the best for drinking. I found a 10′ piece of white PVC pipe,had no ideas where anyone was putting this pipe to get any clean water, I hiked and climbed ALL THE WAY up that brutally steep hill to get to where that actually water was coming out, I was very dissapointed when I hiked all the way up there and say water barely trickling out of a whole in the ground. Im thinking about shading the spring on top of the hill from the sun and copper piping the damn thing myself. Everyone seems to have vanished, I guess thats good me me??? I’ll do my best to get a short copper pipe in the spring myself and get some good water from it. Last time I was there I made a detailed video of the whole process but no one seems to be around on here so Im not going to post it on youtube. Good luck all
Christopher Lee – I’m glad you are a frequent visiter to the spring. I have been going to the spring for some time. I have made posts in the past here on this site and no one has responded to mine either. I would really like to connect with you about the spring. I have not had the water tested but have been drinking for a while now. Lets connect soon and arrange a way to make this spring awesome. When are you going to go to the spring next?
Where is your video? We got as far up on the hill as I could on Sunday. I want to see where the source is.
Debbie….GET A LIFE A MOVE ON!!!!
Hello all, thanks for this post. I am wanting to visit this spring. Any new updates? As of today 11-5-2014 I am planning a trip to the spring. I am also willing to help work on the area for everyone’s use. I know that one very detrimental element to a spring is the sun. Hopefully it is still shaded. I will be heading up there this week or next. It is about an hour and a half drive for me and 3 hours round trip. The more info I can obtain on this spring the better. Thank you all and ONE-LOVE
I can attest that the pipes for the springs are all cut off. It takes too long to fill up any container from the small source up top so the bottom runoff where the concrete retainer is the best option.
I hope the water is safe.. I’ll be doing more research.
That’s sad.. I was hoping to have a natural spring to drink from out in SLO since I’ll be leaving the wonderful artesian spring water in Indianapolis for SLO next month. It must be the drought I guess.. Also, I’m wondering about fertilizers and the like in the water because I hear there’s lots of agriculture in the area. Aww.. I’ll miss my awesome spring in IN. 🙁 Fantastic water I’ll exchange for fantastic weather… you can’t have it all.
Soooo….any word on the condition of the water that you can see running from the road???? I have collected water from there with a TDS of around 250-280 and a PH of about 7.8 I believe…I’m worried about drinking it so I’ve been using it for plants…any word on it being safe to drink with out filtration??? Thanks
I am so happy to see that there is a spring near by. Thanks for all the posts. I am curious has anyone had the water tested and has anyone been able to find a solution to the accessibity issue.
Thanks Doug, and everyone for the accurate directions .
From hwy 101 we went west on hwy 42 about half the distance to hwy 1.
The Spring is clearly visible.
If you are going West on hwy 42 its on the passenger side of the hwy and it will come up on it quickly about 15 seconds past the road to get to the Cerro Alto campground.
Going East on hwy 42 the spring will be on the drivers side and if you get to Cerro Alto Campground Road you have just missed it.
It looks like someone had ran some pipe from the point where it comes out of the rocks. This unfortunately has been cut. There is some pipe still there but the path up to that point is mostly grown over with brush.
The next time we go, (Early NOV) Jordan and Myself will clear a path and provide assistance to the lanscape etc.
This time though I used a funnel I made by cutting a plastic 1.5l bottle in half and held it under the flow, and filled empty 1.5l glass bottles that way. It took about 20 seconds to fill one bottle.
Took a while to fill up 8 carboys this way but next time Im out there I will be prepared and ready to work on the area to make it easier to access.
Thanks Again
Gratefully,
The AurA ShoP FamilY
Hello,
I would like to help you with cleaning up and clearing out the spring to make it more accessible for everyone. Please feel free to email to talk about this further. I will come out and help you and can easily form together a crew of people to knock this project out in a few days. I look forward to hearing you
Hello, thank you for the post. I am glad to hear that you are wanting to clean up the area of the spring. And to make it more accessible for everyone who uses the spring.
I want to help you. I have talked with some friends who I have shown the spring to and they want to help as well. If you want to coordinate with me we can set up a date where I can bring 3-5 guys to help clear out and make it a more accessible storing for everyone.
I look forward to hearing back from you.