Hidden in the northwest corner of Savage, yet easily accessible by a well maintained trail is an environmental phenomenon known as Boiling Springs and is one of the largest sand boil springs in the Midwest. This spring is at the headwaters of Eagle Creek, one of the last remaining self-producing brown trout population in the metropolitan area.
The spring is not named after hot boiling water but is very old water from deep in the earth that is escaping through cracks in the earth’s bedrock and then blocked by a layer of fine sand that plugs the crack. Water pressure builds up eventually pushing the sand out of the way and erupts on the surface which appears to be boiling.
The main pool has a number of spots where water is erupting at different times and sometimes a number of eruptions take place simultaneously. The water coming up through the bedrock which has been underground so long it has lots of dissolved calcium and magnesium in it and is approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit all year long so the spring never freezes in the winter. The boiling seems to be more active during the spring but can be witnessed throughout the year.
Boiling Springs have been sacred to native people since before European contact and named the springs MA-KA YU-SO-TA, meaning to make the earth muddy, or to roil up. The Boiling Springs have been in many generations of oral history and the area has been used by native people for thousands of years. The Eagle Creek area was the site of Eagle Head’s village in the early 1800’s along with many other Dakota villages in the Minnesota River Valley.
In 1919 Boiling Springs on the Hattenberger's Farm property, was a popular tourist destination. The Scott County Historical Society has given permission to use this photo.
Boiling Springs and Eagle Creek have been threatened by land developers as long ago as the early 1900’s. Many environment organization fought to preserver Boiling Springs but development plans were implements, not before the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources receive legislative approval to purchase a four hundred foot wide corridor which runs along Eagle Creek. An Aquatic Management Area was created along the creek and the DNR Fisheries Division manages the area which helps the preservation of the creek as a trout stream.
To get credit for this cache:
E-mail me with the answers to these questions using the CO link above and selecting the “Send Message” link.
- At the pool, what was the most number of Boiling Springs that you observed at any one time?
- How high was the highest eruption that you saw?
- What minerals are in high concentrations in the water coming out of Boiling Springs?
- On the Shoreline Habitat Restoration Project plaque at the trail head what are the four aquatic plants listed in the center illustration?
- Many people have seen and posted photos of the boiling eruptions that look like a monster coming to the surface. We've named the monster "Blurp". Did you see Blurp in the pool today?
Photo of monster in the pond by JAYMZ*BRONX.
This EarthCache was placed in accordance with the Minnesota DNR regulations/guidelines and approved by the MN DNR West Metro Area Fisheries Office. You are welcome to enjoy this natural resource but walk softly throughout the area. Feel free to share this with your family and friends.
MINNESOTA GEOCACHING ASSOCIATION 2014 CACHE OF YEAR WINNER!