Andrews Geyser is a man-made geyser built to mark the railroad entrance to the Blue Ridge Mountains. A New Yorker by the name of George Fisher Baker constructed the geyser to honor his homeboy Colonel Alexander Boyd Andrews from Raleigh, NC. The geyser is pretty freaking rad in and of itself, but the overall scenery here at Andrews Geyser is what did it for Apollo. The train tracks here are a good 150 feet above the geyser and gnarly, rocky outcrops jut out and litter the sides of the railroad. The nearby creek is clear, friendly and very inviting. All in all, the scenery here is very unique and just makes for a fantastic place for family picnics.
The trouble with Andrews Geyser started back on Highway 70, where the Andrews Geyser sign read 2.3 miles to the happenings. 3.4 miles later, Apollo arrived at this sign, stating the geyser is 2.1 miles north. Um. Yeah. Old Fort is really good at them there maths.
After driving 4.6 miles on the 2.3 mile trip, Apollo and Thunderlips finally found the train engineers' heralded Andrews Geyser. The overall scenery here is extraordinarily picturesque and makes for a fabulous family picnic area with plenty to keep the kids occupied.
Sometimes, nothing beats the consistency of the National Park Service. The sign at Andrews Geyser did not jive with the first one whatsoever. Give or take 27 years, nobody will really know the difference anyway.
Apollo and Thunderlips were having a great time here at the geyser. A super nice lady tried like hell to get Apollo to see a rainbow. Apollo didn't have the heart to tell her that he sees plenty of rainbows in Asheville. Today was a 'get out of the city' day.
We just discovered this blog and enjoy reading about all the awesome adventures you’re taking, Apollo and Thunderlips. You’re invited to come by the Inn on Mill Creek to see some freaking rad stuff related to Andrews Geyser, like where the water for the Geyser comes from, the dam constructed by the railroad to create the water reservoir, the on/off valve, and historical photos. Don’t let the signage confuse you, Apollo and Thunderlips. The Andrews Geyser was built in 1885; it was restored in 1911, and then restored again in 1976. By the way, our pugs challenge Apollo Creed to brave walking out on the dam…are you up to the challenge, Apollo? If so, we may let you help turn the Geyser on and off.