Blanchard Spring Trailhead — Attraction in Mountain Home

Absolute fabulity. Pristine waters, flowing and falling and calling your name, refreshing your face. Natural stairs up the hills. Bathhouse of the gods.

Almost called it a day-hike after exploring that area north of the parking spaces there but was, coming back to the car, summoned to the other side of the lot by the masonry, an energy, my own intuition. Proceeded down that trail through the wood a while. Stopped and thought to turn back, but heard my intuitive drive beg to differ. Thus did I discover the verdant green lake and the top of the towering waterfall, where I perched a while, studying the cascade’s descent and a man fishing in the distance. Yet again considered turning back, as it was getting late-ish, and I still had a drive ahead of me. And yet again, my intuitive voice whispered “further yet, my friend.” And so I marched on and found myself at the base of the falls, doffing my boots and sloshing through the cool spring water to behold this cavernous, raucous, beauteous marvel of the earth. After a while, I once again worried I ought to head back to the car so as to arrive at my destination before dark. But my inner impetus bade me cast off the clockwork worries, and with them my clothes—to enter this magnificent pool and truly experience it, wholly; to make of it more than just a visual memory; to recognize that I had already arrived at a destination, and it would be a travesty to pass it by without saying Hi. “Yes, it will be cold, and you will be wet and colder yet, and the sun may or may not have set, but which of these things is not a wondrous gift for the living?” And so I stripped to my skivvies and took the plunge, immediately gratified beyond my wildest expectation. And thereafter my thundering shower, my icy swim, whilst drying atop a rock, I chanced to witness a large, solitary hummingbird gracefully swooping oer the pool, snatching insects out the air. Had I not followed my intuition into the pool, I’d have missed this lovely moment. And I’d have missed the beautiful mother and young daughter who came through as I was leaving, the image of their backs framed before the falls through the old stone mill window. And I may have then missed the mulleted boys fishing on the pier and the little chat I shared with their mother. Most importantly, I would have missed the message, an intuitive insight I will take with me for the rest of my days: Blessèd is he who jumpeth...

Short trail to the spring that comes out of Blanchard Springs Caverns. Not sure if there is a longer trail in this area, but I believe there is, just didn't look for it specifically. Went to just see the spring itself. The water was cold, think it's like 58 degrees, so felt good on a hot summer day. Don't drink it though as the sign says it has bat droppings and dead bats in it from the cave even though you cannot tell. It looks enticing to drink since it's so clear and cold and it's a "spring", so reason for the sign. You can't go into the cave through that point as stated as well, plus it'd be pretty hard to get in that way anyway. This then flows into Mirror Lake which you go past right before the trailhead. You can go down into the valley in front of Mirror Lake damn and swim there and cool off. The old CCC mill is down there at the base of the...

I done 1/2 mirror lake went and did blanchard springs trailhead and went on back half of mirror lake loop:

Mirror lake loop: Most beutiful trail ive ever been on with a boardwalk extending halfway from the start of the loop all the way past small dam.(1/4 of total loop) Hiking trail through to 2nd parking lot for blanchard springs trail

Blanchard springs trail: One of the more unique sites. Ive got some great pictures of the waterfall gushing out of the cliff. Trail is short and wide to there.

Going on otherside of mirror lake loop is a creek crossing by foot and it brings you right up to an old mill and back to origanal parking lot

Pictures are quite dated comeing from a november...