Tallulah Spring at Saratoga Spa State Park
Tallulah,
the forgotten “leaping water”
tucked away,
just slightly out of view,
from those who pass her by.
I had searched for her a few times.
I had walked past her numerous times.
never knowing
she was patiently
waiting…
on the hillside for me to find her.
On some Saratoga Spa State Park maps there is a spring simply listed as #5.
I had poked around the general area of where the spring was marked on the map,
but I never actually found it…
One time I was searching for #5
and I stumbled upon Ferndell Spring
which was delightful and delicious!
… but not the spring I was hunting.
October 2, 2016- I was tasting different springs throughout the park with my friend Becky, when I saw #5 spring for the first time. I was ecstatic upon the discovery and so very impressed with the spring’s color, as well as the uniqueness of her erosion tendencies, all while creating a calcium carbonate alluvial fan, slowly over time.
I found the colors to be an eye-catching intrigue. The contrast of the green grass against the red soil was perfection, as the grass tried its best to strangle a narrow crevice created by the run off from the spring.
with tufa collecting far below from her steady stream of water.
The tufa and green algae growing in the farthest run off from the spring were intriguing as well. I imagine the rusty red slicing its way through the tufa are iron deposits, but I don’t really know for certain. Something I found odd yet fascinating, was how Tallulah’s water and mineral deposits just ran into the tall grass surrounding her, leaving no clue to people on the other side of the tall grass that she was there at all.
After spending some time at this spring and enjoying her unique beauty, I obviously had to do more research about this elusive spring.
I learned that her name is Tallulah, formerly called Flat Well No. 4… and that’s pretty much it.
just enough walking by
to want to investigate
why there is a random, strange, clearing in the tall grass.
Tallulah is near Polaris Spring, on the same side of the road, slightly up a grassy hill. If you walk from Polaris Spring and reach the trail that takes you to Ferndell Spring, you missed her and must go back and look again.
Tallulah Spring gets a ton of sunshine compared to her sister Karista Spring (formerly called Flat Well No. 2).
Me, before a taste of the spring.
I have gotten in the habit of paying tribute to the different springs when I visit them by tasting their waters, also known as “Taking the Cure.”
- Tallulah Spring is now much easier to find because it now has a sign and a well maintained path to the spring and tufa.
For more photos of Tallulah… Click Here!