The Periodic Spring, 2018

The largest periodic spring in the world, there are only three listed, is located about twenty miles from our base camp. Its located along Swift Creek and after a short hike, about ¾ of a mile, finds you at the base of a steep trail that leads to the crevice where the spring emerges.

Jen and Eric had arrived from Florida and as it was my birthday I suggested that we all go for a hike to the periodic spring and then a picnic along Swift Creek. Taking the truck, it’s not a place for a rental car, (it’s a good road but its narrow and so you may be forced to scrape the sides of your car with willows), its about five miles from Afton to the end of the trail head.

The leaves have started to change, and the hike isn’t that steep, so we enjoyed the fall colors as we trekked to the base of the spring. There were quite a few fellow hikers and even some small children making the final ascent to the spring.

We reached the spring just in time to see the magic! The substantial flow from the spring lessened and then stopped completely. Rocks were uncovered, and the stream dried up. Sticking our heads near the opening you could hear the gurgling as the inner containment basin started to refill and it took about fifteen minutes before we could hear the water approaching the spout.

First a trickle appeared and then it quickly became a gushing torrent. As the stream flowed down the channel it took a few seconds to refill each waterfall and pool and before long the stream was its usual series of small waterfalls and plunge pools.

Jen tested her new water purifier system, (and it worked as she didn’t get sick), and both enjoyed the magic of the disappearing and reappearing spring.

They watched it several times. after all, where else can you see such a sight, before carefully hiking back down to the actual creek and then retracing our steps to the truck.

It was a good day’s hike, but the day wasn’t done as Later our son Matt joined us to celebrate my birthday! Matt and Jen surprised us by taking out to dinner at the White Buffalo restaurant in Jackson.

It’s a place we would never go, as its pretty fancy, but the food was excellent. We all had one of the steaks and I just had to choose the New York strip Buffalo steak.

It was by far the best tasting buffalo steak I have ever eaten, and it was the end of a perfect day! Thank you Matt and Jenny and thanks to all our friends and family that wished me a happy birthday! Clear skies