In Ilam Province, Dehloran County, within the protected forest park of Abgarm, there exists a natural flowing asphalt spring that has been utilized for over [insert number] years. This asphalt spring is mentioned in the historical records of Ilam. The local people believe this asphalt spring to be the blood of a dragon slain by the legendary hero Esfandyar.
To reach this black spring, one must travel from the city of Dehloran towards the Abgarm forest park, in a lowland region at the foot of the Siahkooh mountain.
After passing through the park, a signpost on the right side of the road indicates the direction to the asphalt spring. Beyond this point, there are no further signs, so one must rely on a traveler’s sense of direction or the guidance of occasional visitors.
A challenging part of the journey involves descending a seasonal riverbank and ascending the opposite side. Approximately 300 meters from the spring, the road becomes impassable for vehicles, necessitating the remainder of the journey on foot. This provides an opportunity to admire the beautiful shrubs that cover the area.
As one approaches the spring, a strong odor of asphalt becomes noticeable. The spring’s mouth is nearly 9 meters in diameter, from which warm water filled with small and large particles of fluid asphalt flows.
Due to incidents of animals getting trapped and perishing in the asphalt during the summer while seeking water, the area around the spring has been enclosed by a roofed fence. This fence itself serves as the most prominent landmark for locating the spring.
