The Elm Springs are located south of Carlton, Kansas in eastern McPherson County. The springs are on private property, so get permission before visiting. You will know you have arrived in the area when you see the gate below. The gate has been damaged a little over the years, but the message is still there.
A few miles south is a pretty little church and the foundation of what was the Elm Springs School. A town company attempted a settlement here, but it failed. There was no railroad and no government money to support the town, it was destined to go under.
The springs themselves are not really that spectacular. They are actually a series of small springs that accumulate to significant water flow within the next half mile. The springs start high almost on the ridge and flow gently to the west. Within a couple of hundred yards they flow over a flat rock, dropping approximately twelve feet to a flat rock.
The area of the waterfall is very quiet, shaded and full of green growth. The water is cold and as you walk down into the small canyon on a hot day, you will definitely notice a temperature drop. The area was a popular picnic and campground in the 1930s and 1940s. Some remaining items can still be found in the area, the remains of a picnic site, a couple of outhouses, and a cattle brand collection.
The bluffs in the area are sandstone, the valley sprawls out to the northwest. The cities of Gypsum and Salina can be seen on the horizon. It really is a nice quiet place to visit. Numerous turtles, small lizards, and a water snake were observed in the area. The stream has a healthy bluegill population, so it must not go dry. Downstream a few bass were noticed swimming in some of the pools. The area below is marshy in spots and there are a lot of cattails. Should you decide to visit, be sure to watch for poison ivy in that season.
