Harding Spring, Sedona, AZ

Description
A natural spring that comes out of an escarpment side. Tonto National Forest is home to this spring. According to the Gila County Hydrogeologist, this water is the best water in Arizona.
Additional Information: http://www.hohokamhiking.com/hiking-arizona/fossil-springs.php
Nearest Address

Strawberry, Arizona
Directions from the Nearest Address

Directions to Fossil springs
Follow Highway 87 to Payson. Continue on Highway 87 towards Payson. You will pass Pine, Payson, and Strawberry. After Strawberry, take a left onto Fossil Creek Road. For approximately 5 miles, continue on the road. While the road is paved for the first 2 miles, the 3 remaining miles are on a well-maintained dirt road. Any car can drive it the next 3 miles. About 5 miles down Fossil Creek Road, you will see a left turn that leads to a lot. This is where you start.
Right from the beginning, the trail is quite downhill. You can see the Mogollon Rim as you descend. This trail also offers stunning views of the area's pine forests as well as the valley mesas. Because it is mostly downhill, the trail is easy to follow and is well-traveled. As you descend, you'll see a section of brilliant green vegetation. Fossil Spring is located here.
Fossil springs is near, and you will see a rocky river bed you have to cross. The river bed was quite dry during our trip, but the boulders were probably large enough to be walked across easily even with water.
Once you begin to notice the shift in vegetation from leafy to pine, you'll find the first place where water is flowing from the ground. This is a good place to get your water. Locals can also tell you about other areas where water flows directly out of the limestone formation.
Trailhead GPS: N 34 24.402' W 111 34.106'
GPS Location: N 34 25.457; W 111 34.400
Trailhead Elevation: 5600 ft.
4320 ft. Elevation at Springs
Elevation Change: 1280 feet
Nearest Town: Strawberry, AZ
Length: 7 mi round trip
Difficulty (10=hard; 1=easy): 6
Vital Information
Hours Spring Open
Unknown
GPS:
N 34 25.457’ W 111 34.400’
Fossil Spring Map Map - Map Link
Submitted By: Andrew Fiala

Description
This water doesn't have a spout and flows straight off the rock faces, down to the East Verde River. The area is easy to access, but it's not clean.
http://arizonahighways.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=232
Nearest Address

Payson, Arizona 85541
Directions starting from the nearest address

Start at Payson in Arizona
Continue NORTH on BEELINE HIGHWAY S/AZ87 to E FRONTIER STR.
Turn RIGHT onto HOUSTON MESSA RD/NF-199. Continue following HOUSTON MESSA RD. Turn RIGHT onto CONTROL Rd/NF-64. Turn SLIGHTLY LEFT onto NF-191 (Portions unpaved). Turn RIGHT and continue on NF-199 (Portions Unpaved). Turn RIGHT onto N-32 (Portions not paved). End at Washington Park, AZ
From the parking lot, the three-quarter-mile journey to the spring at Washington Park Trailhead is possible. The path continues north on a gentle slope for approximately 70 yards, crossing the river. This spot is about a dozen feet wide by 10 inches in depth. The path crosses a shallow, shallow pool with monkey flowers and stepping stones provide a dry crossing. Shortly after reaching the Highline Trail, (No. We turn left onto an old, overgrown logging route that runs parallel to the river.
You can see the visible scars left by the 1990 Dude Fire from a 150-yard walk up the road among fir trees and ponderosa. The fury of the flames can be seen in blackened logs. Sweet white blossoms decorate a dense of raspberry bushes, while Gambel oaks blaze the way to the new slope. Downed trees line the road and are a hindrance to hiking. Bushwhacking to your left can help avoid the logjam, but experienced hikers will have great fun climbing over the logs.
After about 100 yards of careful picking, the tangled logs are gone and we can see in the grass the first rusted tools from the old hatchery. The meadow of a hatchery is visible after another 200 yards of casual walking.
It is evident by the presence of a little pipe or some timeworn metal. The meadow is decorated with maple and apple trees. The former holding ponds were filled with green and adorned with tiny fan blade-shaped vincas with periwinkle-colored blooms.
This stream is cold and the birthplace for the spring is only 100 feet away. The spring can be found by climbing through a raspberry thicket. The slope is surrounded by a dense forest of cut-leaf conflowers. Water flows down the slope.
Vital Information
Hours Spring Open
N/A
GPS:
N/A
Map Link: Pieper Street Map Spring
Submitted By: Andrew Fiala

Description
This is an amazing spring! The area surrounding the spring used to be a camp for Civilian Conservation Corps. Their goal was to replant the forest in the vicinity that had been logged due to the dense Ponderosa Forest. In the spring 1933, Indian Gardens was home to the CCC. To bring the spring back to their subdivisions, Kohls Ranch installed a tap. The spring, however, has gone beyond the limits of the tap. Today, you can see the spring gushing above the CCC-built wall. Two weeks ago, as I was meditating nearby the spring, the water changed color. It went from clear water with low turbidity to dark muddy water in just a few seconds. The spring had taken a new life as I ran up to it. The new spot where the spring was flowing out had completely bypassed that tapped section and was now coming out of the area just below the cement wall. It was quite cool to witness as I had just filled my water bottle there.
Nearest Address

Kohls Ranch
Directions starting from the nearest address
Follow highway AZ-265 East to Payson. Follow the highway for approximately 15 mi. Look for the "PaleoSite", which is just before the Indian Gardens Site. Continue straight on the unmarked road. You have gone too far if you make a left-hand turn after the Paleo Site. You can return in a matter of minutes by turning around. The unmarked road is initially paved but then becomes gravel. You will find a gate approximately 10 meters after the road has become gravel. Arizona keeps the gate closed because Indian Gardens serves as a pick-up point for large water pillows, which can be used in case of an emergency. You will need to get out of your car and cross the small gate. Follow the dirt trail approximately 100 meters. You will hear the water gushing as you get closer to a small bridge. By approximately 10 yards, the spring is located to the West of this small bridge.
Vital Information
Hours of Spring Open
Open day/night
GPS: N/A
Submitted By: Andrew Fiala