SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. \u2013 Tucked away in southwest Florida, visitors can find prehistoric warm springs \u2014 the only one in the state.<\/p>\n
This massive pool (fittingly dubbed \u201cWarm Mineral Springs\u201d) was formed within a deep sinkhole in North Port, and it\u2019s a popular place for locals to frequent.<\/p>\n
However, newcomers are likely to be surprised by the strong, sulfurous stench that the springs emit.<\/p>\n
Entrance to Warm Mineral Springs Park (Allison Talcott)<\/p>\n
As the name implies, Warm Mineral Springs hosts over 50 different kinds of minerals in its waters, including sulfur, magnesium and potassium.<\/p>\n
But for many, the mineral-induced odor is worth enduring.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people that go to the springs, they seek it out because they believe the springs help with health and well-being…\u201d said Kimberly Lencki with the city\u2019s parks and recreation department. \u201cThose (minerals) are rumored to have healing powers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warm Mineral Springs Park (Anthony Talcott)<\/p>\n
These beliefs play into the spring\u2019s reputation as \u201cThe Original Fountain of Youth,\u201d though there are plenty of other attractions that make similar claims<\/a>.<\/p>\n [STORY CONTINUES BELOW]<\/p>\n “The Original Fountain of Youth” shrine at Warm Mineral Springs (Anthony Talcott)”The Original Fountain Of Youth” plaque at Warm Mineral Springs Park (Allison Talcott)<\/p>\n Beyond that, the springs stay at roughly 85\u00b0F year-round, making them a great place to hang out when temperatures get too extreme.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t anything new, either. According to geological experts<\/a>, the warm springs have been used by humans for thousands of years.<\/p>\n While the edges of the springs are only a few feet deep, the floor of the spring has a steep dropoff, eventually stretching to well over 200 feet from surface to bottom.<\/p>\n (Left) A rough illustration of the interior of the Warm Mineral Springs by the USGS; (Right) Overhead view of the Warm Mineral Springs (U.S. Geological Survey\/Sarasota County Property Appraiser)<\/p>\n The U.S. Geological Society reports that the sinkhole formed over 12,000 years ago, and plenty of evidence has been found to support that claim.<\/p>\n In fact, plenty of ancient artifacts have been uncovered from the springs and beneath the park.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring exploratory dives in the 1950s, the remains of a prehistoric hunter and seven other humans were discovered in a very well preserved state,\u201d the city\u2019s website reads<\/a>. \u201cSimilarly, evidence of several creatures have been extracted from the spring, including saber tooth tigers, giant sloths, tortoises, and even camels.\u201d<\/p>\n Signs discussing the Warm Mineral Springs’ history posted outside the park (Allison Talcott)<\/p>\n But what exactly keeps the springs so warm?<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s the big mystery.<\/p>\n Researchers in the 1970s discovered that there were two major hot water vents at the bottom of the spring\u2019s north wall, which feed in water to the spring at around 100\u00b0F. Meanwhile, there are also nine cooler water vents that measure close to 70\u00b0F.<\/p>\n A USGS diagram showing the location of vents and their various depths in the Warm Mineral Spring (U.S. Geological Survey)(Clockwise from top left) Vent A; Vent B Entrance; Vent D; Vent B, near the end of a 174-foot-long conduit system (Curt Bowen\/ADM Exploration Foundation)<\/p>\n These various vents help to moderate the water temperature in the springs, keeping it nice and warm for guests. But researchers have yet to figure out how the water from those hot-water vents got so… hot.<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s springs are typically formed from rainwater<\/a>, which forms underground cavities and is eventually pushed out through openings in the ground.<\/p>\n And hot springs usually rely on volcanic activity to stay heated, but Florida doesn\u2019t actually have any volcanoes (or at least none that have been discovered<\/a>).<\/p>\n Florida Aquifer System illustration created by the USGS. The diagram shows how water is carried underground in the state, forming many of Florida’s springs. (U.S. Geological Service)<\/p>\n So then where is all of the springs\u2019 hot water coming from?<\/p>\n One theory that researchers have posited is that seawater could be circulating below the Florida Platform from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n At depths of 3,000 feet, the seawater may be heated geothermally before making its way through fractures in the platform\u2019s overlying carbonate rock, ultimately getting pushed to the surface through springs like this one.<\/p>\n USGS map of the Florida Platform (U.S. Geological Service)<\/p>\n Other theories suggest that it could be seawater that had been trapped deep beneath sediments millions of years ago. Or that there exist \u201chot spot\u201d anomalies where highly mineralized water is heated before being pushed into the Warm Mineral Spring.<\/p>\n Regardless of the truth, the springs are still available for anyone who wants to pay them a visit.<\/p>\n Picture along the side of Warm Mineral Springs, where many beach chairs are laid out for guests (Anthony Talcott)<\/p>\n However, many of the buildings surrounding the park \u2014 including a beauty spa and eatery \u2014 are now defunct, having been damaged in major storms over the past few years.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a hurricane that had damaged some of the buildings, and then (Hurricane) Ian came along, and they condemned the buildings,\u201d Lencki explained.<\/p>\n Cordoned-off buildings at Warm Mineral Springs Park (Nov. 21, 2024) (Anthony Talcott)<\/p>\n