Big Springs: Lavender, Railroad History, and the Town’s Spring

Big Springs combines rural experiences with a distinctive history shaped by water, railroads, and the routes across the Great Plains. Those planning a trip with culture, small discoveries, and time outdoors will find a variety of points of interest here: a lavender farm south of town, historic railroad sites, a pool park, and the spring after which Big Springs was named.

Lavender and Rural Character

Our Lavender Co. is a five-acre lavender farm south of Big Springs. During the growing season, lavender and various other cut flowers bloom there. Farm tours explain the different lavender varieties as well as their cultivation, harvesting, processing, and uses. At its farm shop, Our Lavender Co. also offers coffee and lavender lemonade, which visitors can enjoy while strolling through the fields. This adds a peaceful, agriculture-focused experience to a stay in Big Springs.

The Big Springs Spring Site is also part of the town’s character. It is the spring after which Big Springs was named. The spring provided early Indigenous groups with fresh water. Those interested in the origins of the town’s name and the landscape can take this connection into account when planning their trip without limiting their stay to museum visits alone.

Traces of Railroad and Frontier History

Big Springs offers several historical topics that are particularly suited to curious travelers. The memorial marker for the Sam Bass and Big Springs robbery commemorates the first and largest train robbery of the Union Pacific. The historic Union Pacific depot was moved from its original location and converted into a museum. Railroad artifacts are on display at the Big Springs Depot Museum.

Further connections to transportation history can be found in the surrounding area. South Platte Station near Big Springs was a Pony Express post station. Big Springs Creek later served as a water source for Union Pacific steam locomotives. Engraved names at the Big Springs Veterans Memorial commemorate residents and former students who served. The Big Springs Depot Museum and Veterans Memorial also displays military uniforms belonging to local veterans.

Nine miles north of Big Springs on Day Road is the Waterman Sod House. Its location adds an example of settlement history to the area’s historic sites. For those staying in Big Springs, this connection between local history, railroads, and the rural surroundings can be interesting if you would like to organize your days around different themes.

Pool Park and Travel Planning

Pool Park offers a different focus. It has a modern swimming pool as well as a covered picnic area and playground equipment. If you are traveling with children, these amenities can provide a separate day plan alongside the lavender farm and historical experiences. You can flexibly plan which sites to combine according to the interests of your travel group.

The transportation situation is also relevant when choosing a vacation destination: Big Springs is located near the junctions of two major Interstate systems. These include I-76, a connection from Denver, Colorado, and I-80, an important east-west route across the United States. A vacation apartment or vacation home in Big Springs is therefore particularly suitable for a trip that uses the town itself as a base for historical discoveries, rural impressions, and time at Pool Park. You can choose to focus on culture, nature, or relaxing activities.

Big Springs as a Vacation Idea

What makes Big Springs special is the variety of themes: lavender and cut flowers alongside the spring that gave the town its name, Pool Park alongside railroad artifacts and historic memorial sites. This creates a varied itinerary. Those looking for accommodation in Big Springs can make their desired mix of history, landscape, and shared experiences the basis for their travel decision.

For the general travel overview: Deuel County.