Big
Springs
A River’s Birthplace
Big Springs is a National Natural Landmark and one of my most
favorite places on Earth. Every year as a kid, my family and I
would go to Yellowstone with my Grandparents and every year we
would stop at Big Springs to feed the fish. We would always make
sure to bring a loaf of bread and when we arrived, we would run to
the bridge to see all of the huge Rainbow and Brown trout in the
water below the bridge. We would break off pieces of bread and try
to toss it in front of the nose of one of the monster trout to
watch it rise and gulp the bread from the surface. After all of
these years, the crystal clear water, gravely bottom and waving
moss has not changed. There seems to be fewer trout though and
rumor has it that one Winter a number of years back, some
snowmobilers came over from West Yellowstone and poached a lot of
the trout from the springs. They have slowly made their way back
and there are some really nice fish under that bridge.
About five miles from Henry's Lake is Big Springs. Big Springs is
located on the Western edge of a lava flow eruption from vents on
the Yellowstone Plateau to the East. Here, waters from the
Yellowstone Plateau have percolated down through the highly
fractured basalt and come out, thousands of gallons a minute. One
hundred and twenty million gallons of pure water a day to forming
the headwaters of the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. Enough water
to meet the needs of a million people surge out of the ground
here.
A short distance from the glassy pool is a bridge. From it, you'll
see the constant flow and the clean gravel bottom which make for
perfect trout habitat. With a year-round temperature of 52 degrees,
Big Spring’s trout get BIG. No fishing is allowed until below the
outlet to Henry's Lake, several miles away.
Take the short walking trail around the pond where the springs
bubble from beneath to reach Johnny Sack's cabin. From 1929 until
1953, Johnny Sack lived in this little cabin he built himself.
Johnny was a German immigrant who built his cozy cabin and its
furnishings by hand out of local trees. He also built a water wheel
turned by spring water tumbling out of the hillside. The wheel
provided electricity and brought water uphill to the cabin.
Johnny's old place is now a visitor center and an attraction in its
own right and run by the Forest Service.
To get credit and claim a “Find” for this EarthCache you must post
a picture of yourself/s AND your GPS with Johnny’s Cabin in the
background and send us: An Email telling us:
• Big Springs is located where “what” is covered by “what”
• What is believed to be the main source of the Springs?
• As the water makes it’s way through the Yellowstone Plateau,
what happens to the water when it meets the glacial and lake
sediments?
• What may account for the year-round temperature of 52
degrees?
Answers can be found on the Big Springs plaque near the posted
coordinates. Please do not include your answers in your log.
Failure to complete a requirement from the list will result in your
log being deleted.
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