Category Archives: Artesian Springs

Kitch-iti-kipi

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, upper peninsula .

Nestled within Palms Book State Park, Kitch-iti-kipi, an Ojibwe term translating to “big cold spring,” is Michigan’s largest natural freshwater spring. This spring, also referred to as the “Mirror of Heaven,” features a 40-foot-deep basin with an emerald green bottom. It consistently releases 10,000 gallons of 45 °F water per minute from underground limestone fissures. The ducks were enjoying it when I visted on a cold winter day.

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The Beautiful Spring at the bottom of the Stairs

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, autumn, Nature .

Located along the River Road National Scenic Byway in the Huron National Forest, just west of Oscoda, Iargo Springs presents a stunning view of the Au Sable River. This site has served as an essential drinking water source long before European settlers arrived, with early loggers creating dams to channel water to their nearby camps. Back then, much of what is now Cooke Pond was actually dry land. Since the 1920s, visitors from Europe have been drawn to the springs for leisure activities.

In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built a trail and dams on the spring.  Unfortunately, these structures were lost in 1981 due to a severe storm. A major renovation took place in 1991, which added steps, boardwalks along the springs, and rebuilt the dams. Reaching Iargo Springs requires the daunting task of descending 300 steep steps, but the effort is well worth it. The climb back up may leave your legs burning and your heart racing, but the breathtaking views from the shoreline make it all worthwhile.

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The Spring in Norway

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, upper peninsula .

Along US-2, about a mile outside of Norway is a stone fountain. The water comes from an artesian spring and flows all year long.  In 1903 Oliver Mining Company was searching for iron ore and drilled a hole about a thousand foot deep.  The hole cuts through rock that traps water at higher elevations. The difference in elevation creates the pressure in an artesian well. The back side of the fountain has a pipe with flowing water for filling up jugs. I like to stop and fill up some water bottles when I am passing through Norway. I think it is the best tasting water in Michigan.

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Ogemaw Springs

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, Nature .

Ogemaw Springs sits next to the railroad tracks northwest of West Branch. It was the main source of water for the town that is named after it. The spring was also used as a source of water for the steam trains that were used during the lumbering era of the late 1800s. In 1875 Ogemaw Springs nearly became the county seat, losing to West Branch by only one vote. In the 1890s the depletion of timber in the area led to the town’s decline. Only a few houses and a cemetery remain in the once booming town. It is a neat place to stop and look into the clear waters of the spring. Its not as big as Kitch iti kipi in the Upper Peninsula but it is still neat.

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The Water in Honor

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs .

The small town of Honor sits along US-31 where it bends from north and south to head east and west near the base of the Leelanau Peninsula. Across the road from the grocery store is a roadside park with a pavilion. It is there you will find an artesian spring that flows into two round concrete basins. I like to stop there and fill up some bottles of water for my adventures in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It is also a great place to fill up some water jugs with the clear and clean water the flows out of the northern Michigan ground.

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Minnie Farmer Spring

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, Parks .

Minnie Farmer Park stands next to the Tamarack Creek in the northeast part of Howard City. It is a little roadside park with a pavilion. Next to the creek behind the pavilion is a pipe sticking out of the ground with artesian spring water flowing from it. The well is a hidden little gem and I like to stop there and fill up my water bottle when I am passing through.

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The Best Water in Michigan

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs, upper peninsula .

I was traveling across the Upper Peninsula on US-2 headed to Duluth for my other website Lost In The States. I went through the town of Norway near Iron Mountain.  Right along the highway, about a mile outside of town is a stone fountain. The water comes from an artesian spring and flows all year long.

In 1903 Oliver Mining Company was searching for iron ore and drilled a hole about a thousand foot deep.  The hole cuts several steeply dipping porous strata that trap water at higher elevations to the north. The difference in elevation creates the pressure in an artesian well. The back side of the fountain is a pipe with flowing water for filling up jugs.  I stopped along my journey and filled up an empty water bottle that I had in my Jeep. I gotta say it is the best tasting water that I have ever had. If you are ever passing through Norway be sure to bring a few jugs to fill up with water.

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Onekama Spring

Posted on by Posted in Artesian Springs .

This fountain stands next to Portage Point Drive about a half mile from M-22 near Onekama. It flows all year long fed by an artesian spring. I stopped and filled up my water bottle. There were a few other people that stopped so there must be a few people that know about it, probably the people that live in the cabins in the area. If you are ever traveling along M-22 near Onekama I highly recommend stopping and getting some water if you have some bottles or a jug. You can see it on Google Maps HERE

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