The May 31 and June 1, 2025, Burning Springs event will go on, rain or shine. But the recent rains have presented some challenges. The following updates will let you know what to expect at the site:
SATURDAY, MAY 31, 5:30 PM UPDATE
Today’s event was a success, despite the chill in the air, the mud under foot, and the high water level in the creek. Our one and only flame burned brightly and about 150 people braved the day’s weather to enjoy the Burning Springs property and history talk. With rain out of the picture, we expect Sunday to be a repeat, so this will be the last weather-related update. See our Facebook page for photos from today’s event. Please remember to wear mud-friendly footwear and to understand our reluctance to allow people to hike up the gully to the waterfall, given the high level of water and the risk of injuries.
SATURDAY, MAY 31, 10 AM UPDATE
This morning’s rain is moving out of the area and we should be rain-free by the noon start of the event. As predicted, mud is the word of the day. But the good news is that at least one gas flare will be lit in the creek. And of course the gardens are beautiful and the 2 p.m. talk on this site’s history will go on as planned. Sunday looks marginally better, though the water level in the creek may stay high enough that we have just one flame to view. We will post another update later today or Sunday morning. We are open both days noon to 5 p.m.
FRIDAY MAY 30 NOON UPDATE
The recent rains have raised the water levels in the Burning Springs stream higher than normal and have made the grounds quite muddy. The gardens are happy, but we want to warn visitors that there may be limited opportunities to view the burning gas in the stream (the gas is bubbling away as always, but in many places the water is too deep and fast-moving to enable us to keep a flame going). If our luck holds out, there could be a couple of good flares, but fewer than normal. The water level also makes hiking to the waterfall impossible for all but the most intrepid hikers.
The Seneca knew this problem well. They told visitors that this is the place where water burns — until the rain puts out the flame.
We will post updates on the events calendar (click here) on Saturday morning, before the noon start of the event, and later Saturday or Sunday morning, in advance of Sunday’s noon start, to alert visitors to what they may expect. We’ll also be posting updates on our Facebook page.
The team of SUNY Geneseo archaeologists working in the field uphill from the Burning Springs farm — digging for remnants of one of Bristol’s first European-American homesteads — is hard at work and happy to receive visitors to their dig, where they can explain their work. Some of their newly dug holes are filled with water, but that hasn’t stopped them!
We welcome any and all visitors, who can enjoy the gardens and the 2 p.m. daily talk on this site’s rich history. But we wanted to warn you in advance of potential weather-related challenges.