The second spring is another place to stop and reflect on the amazing abilities of nature: she can push water up through the surface of the ground and then carry it hundreds of miles across the state! This water begins right here in Rockbridge County and then flows all the way to the Chesapeake Bay, the endpoint of our own Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  

Check out the Second Spring activity mailbox for ideas of how to further investigate here, and be sure to stick your hands in the water and check the thermometer -- does it feel cool or warm?  Well, the answer depends on what season it is.  Springs maintain a constant temperature, matching that of the area deep below the ground, but the feel of the water will change depending on outside air temperature, which affects your perceptions of hot and cold.  

Make sure you also spend some time exploring and notice all of the water loving trees in the area, including weeping willow and sycamore.

Feel free to stop for a rest on this cozy bench as you make your way from the second spring toward the wetlands.  It's a perfect place to observe nature and, most importantly, just BE.