Just outside of Black Mountain, up Hwy #9 on the way to Lake Lure.
Nearest Address
21 Lakey Gap Heights
Directions from Nearest Address
The spring is 2.5 miles up the mountain from where Hwy #9 intersects Blue Ridge Road. right outside of Black Mountain. Follow Hwy #9 until you see some mailboxes with the name Cricket Hill under them and the street sign for Lakey Gap Heights. The spring is just behind the mailboxes on the right going up the mountain. There is room to pull over and park.
Was just there the beginning of the week. We weren’t the only one’s there. Water is amazing!! Easily found, easily accessable. No gate…think Nick went to far or didn’t get to the right place.
Respect the area…this is a true gift we’re allowed to access. 🙂
Has anyone done testing on the spring since Helene? My family has been drinking the water exclusively since I was pregnant with my daughter who is almost 7. I trust the spring. However, I’m curious about the potential ecological impacts since the storm.
Finally had a chance to visit this spring. East to find and directions are spot on. Met locals there fulling water jugs and said water is great. Incredible flow from the spring which took no time to fill my 6 galllon jug. Need larger openings to fill properly unless you want to get wet. We will def be revisiting.
I’ve had Blastocystis at least twice, not necessarily but conceivably from this water. This video from 2020 says they have professionally tested it positive for other common pathogens, multiple times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QzTZeeit44
All of the comments here seem to be several years old. Anyone here who has recently tested the water? Wondering if a simple carbon filter would be sufficient to filter with? I’d like to at least knock out some bacteria before drinking. 🙂 From reading through all the comments, one person says this water comes from holding tanks that have previously had dead animals? Yikes. Any water straight from the source nearby?
Lived in Asheville 4 years ago and used to come to this spring every week all year round to get water for 2 or 3 years. Moving back to the area after 4 years away…..has the water been tested recently.
Never got sick on this water. My mother in law who was in her mid 80s loved it and never got sick. Just make sure you clean out your bottles/jugs and keep in a dark cool spot so bacteria doesn’t grow in it.
I started collecting and drinking water from this spring in October of 2018. A few hundred gallons later it made me extremely sick with dysentery in February of 2019. So, just a heads up. I drank so much of this stuff without any sort of negative effects but when it did make me sick it was really bad and I just can’t risk it anymore. Looking into options to filter the water of bacteria as I hate the idea of consuming fluoride in tap water.
Has anybody done any recent testing of the cricket hill spring water? Has anybody considered any contaminants leached from the PVC pipe itself? Does anyone know how long that pipe has there considering the tree has grown around it? Thanks for posting any information before the public consumes this crisp, cold water on a daily basis! It is a remarkable find! But best to be safe!
Collected water yesterday, it tasted really good!
A mama bear and two cubs crossed right in front of us on the road very near the spring so took it as good sign. And I suppose you can expect to see bears around.
A person collecting also said that he has been drinking the water and he feels it was very clean and nice.
I just did a test on the spring water that was coming out of the well. Hardness 0, Chlorine 0.3, Alkalinity 40, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, Copper 0.6, Iron 0.1. Negative on Lead, Negative on Pesticide, but Positive on Coliform Bacteria.
hey community, I am a local student at warren wilson college, of swannanoa. As a student of the sciences, we are required to do in depth research work. For my research, I will be testing the water quality of this spring in wet and dry seasons of 2017 looking at metals, bacteria, pesticides, pH, etc. (yet to be decided). My research will be post here when complete, stay tuned, and elsewhere for all those interested. If you have any questions or concerns you would like that I consider in the research, send a message to lfilipe.s16@warren-wilson.edu
peace be~
Hello, my name is Jose Bello , I’m a resident of Black Mountain . i started drinking this water few months ago . i love the water and at home we all consume it on a daily basis . So far we had no negative reaction to it . Today an run into two guys, at the site , that toll me that they have been warned about the water being contaminated with E.Coli , and asked me, if i knew anything about it. Have you publish your test result yet ? thanks.
Has anyone tested this water recently? I am really curious- as I just went and filled up a few days ago, have been drinking it but want to confirm the necessary. Thanks!
I spoke with the homeowner whose property the spring is on. He recommended getting the water tested. The water that flows out of the pipe comes from the last of three holding tanks. So this water is not direct from the source. He warned me that they have pulled dead animals from the tank before. The water tastes good. But, as always, drink at your own risk
Went there today. It is located about twenty feet on the right once you pass Lakey Gap Heights Street. The spring runs really fast and very cold!! Met a guy who’s been going there for a few years now and he says he’s never had any problems drinking it. There’s mildew on the pipe and I cleaned it with a paper towel before bottling my 4 two liter coke bottles. I’m going to see how I feel drinking this water before purchasing the water dispenser machine. The spring water is very clear and taste so much better than these bottled water.
We moved to Black Mountain in July and pass this spring regularly while driving to and from our residence. We decided to try the water after seeing so many people bottling it. The taste is clearly superior to our well water. We’ve asked around and no one knows of anyone ever suffering any ill effects from the spring water.
We’ve been drinking this water for almost a year. Have never had any ill effects. In fact, when we go to restaurants and drink their water, we can certainly tell the difference and that’s when I feel sick.
Had a gentleman drive past once who lives up on the mountain. Agreed that the water was amazing and that it was tested recently and was found clean.
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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Was just there the beginning of the week. We weren’t the only one’s there. Water is amazing!! Easily found, easily accessable. No gate…think Nick went to far or didn’t get to the right place.
Respect the area…this is a true gift we’re allowed to access. 🙂
Since Hurricane Helene, spring no longer accessible. I tried to go today. The road has seen much damage
Has anyone done testing on the spring since Helene? My family has been drinking the water exclusively since I was pregnant with my daughter who is almost 7. I trust the spring. However, I’m curious about the potential ecological impacts since the storm.
Finally had a chance to visit this spring. East to find and directions are spot on. Met locals there fulling water jugs and said water is great. Incredible flow from the spring which took no time to fill my 6 galllon jug. Need larger openings to fill properly unless you want to get wet. We will def be revisiting.
Has this spring been tested recently?
I just finished the tests today and coliform bacteria is currently present in the water.
I’ve had Blastocystis at least twice, not necessarily but conceivably from this water. This video from 2020 says they have professionally tested it positive for other common pathogens, multiple times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QzTZeeit44
All of the comments here seem to be several years old. Anyone here who has recently tested the water? Wondering if a simple carbon filter would be sufficient to filter with? I’d like to at least knock out some bacteria before drinking. 🙂 From reading through all the comments, one person says this water comes from holding tanks that have previously had dead animals? Yikes. Any water straight from the source nearby?
Lived in Asheville 4 years ago and used to come to this spring every week all year round to get water for 2 or 3 years. Moving back to the area after 4 years away…..has the water been tested recently.
Never got sick on this water. My mother in law who was in her mid 80s loved it and never got sick. Just make sure you clean out your bottles/jugs and keep in a dark cool spot so bacteria doesn’t grow in it.
I started collecting and drinking water from this spring in October of 2018. A few hundred gallons later it made me extremely sick with dysentery in February of 2019. So, just a heads up. I drank so much of this stuff without any sort of negative effects but when it did make me sick it was really bad and I just can’t risk it anymore. Looking into options to filter the water of bacteria as I hate the idea of consuming fluoride in tap water.
Has anybody done any recent testing of the cricket hill spring water? Has anybody considered any contaminants leached from the PVC pipe itself? Does anyone know how long that pipe has there considering the tree has grown around it? Thanks for posting any information before the public consumes this crisp, cold water on a daily basis! It is a remarkable find! But best to be safe!
Collected water yesterday, it tasted really good!
A mama bear and two cubs crossed right in front of us on the road very near the spring so took it as good sign. And I suppose you can expect to see bears around.
A person collecting also said that he has been drinking the water and he feels it was very clean and nice.
I just did a test on the spring water that was coming out of the well. Hardness 0, Chlorine 0.3, Alkalinity 40, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, Copper 0.6, Iron 0.1. Negative on Lead, Negative on Pesticide, but Positive on Coliform Bacteria.
I forgot the PH is only 5.
hey community, I am a local student at warren wilson college, of swannanoa. As a student of the sciences, we are required to do in depth research work. For my research, I will be testing the water quality of this spring in wet and dry seasons of 2017 looking at metals, bacteria, pesticides, pH, etc. (yet to be decided). My research will be post here when complete, stay tuned, and elsewhere for all those interested. If you have any questions or concerns you would like that I consider in the research, send a message to lfilipe.s16@warren-wilson.edu
peace be~
Hello, my name is Jose Bello , I’m a resident of Black Mountain . i started drinking this water few months ago . i love the water and at home we all consume it on a daily basis . So far we had no negative reaction to it . Today an run into two guys, at the site , that toll me that they have been warned about the water being contaminated with E.Coli , and asked me, if i knew anything about it. Have you publish your test result yet ? thanks.
I’m traveling in the area and am also curious to know of your results, based on the below comments… is this water potable?
Any details yet?
Hows the water this month?
Looking forward to your findings! Thanks.
Hi, I am wondering what you have found from your test results so far? Thank you~
Hello Lindsay, were you able to get this water tested?
Has anyone tested this water recently? I am really curious- as I just went and filled up a few days ago, have been drinking it but want to confirm the necessary. Thanks!
I filled 10 gallons and am now on gallon #6 with no problems. Going on faith…
A big thank you Carolyn for the Testing results!
I spoke with the homeowner whose property the spring is on. He recommended getting the water tested. The water that flows out of the pipe comes from the last of three holding tanks. So this water is not direct from the source. He warned me that they have pulled dead animals from the tank before. The water tastes good. But, as always, drink at your own risk
Easy to find with a nice pull off right along the road. Always seems busy.
Water is really good, but is it safe to drink??? Please somebody tell me
Went there today. It is located about twenty feet on the right once you pass Lakey Gap Heights Street. The spring runs really fast and very cold!! Met a guy who’s been going there for a few years now and he says he’s never had any problems drinking it. There’s mildew on the pipe and I cleaned it with a paper towel before bottling my 4 two liter coke bottles. I’m going to see how I feel drinking this water before purchasing the water dispenser machine. The spring water is very clear and taste so much better than these bottled water.
We moved to Black Mountain in July and pass this spring regularly while driving to and from our residence. We decided to try the water after seeing so many people bottling it. The taste is clearly superior to our well water. We’ve asked around and no one knows of anyone ever suffering any ill effects from the spring water.
We’ve been drinking this water for almost a year. Have never had any ill effects. In fact, when we go to restaurants and drink their water, we can certainly tell the difference and that’s when I feel sick.
Had a gentleman drive past once who lives up on the mountain. Agreed that the water was amazing and that it was tested recently and was found clean.
Hi Marie O-
If you boil it wouldn’t that take care of the bacteria? Has anybody else tested it? curious if the water is good???