Thousand Springs State Park is a public recreation and nature preservation area consisting of multiple units — Billingsley Creek, Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve, Malad Gorge, Niagara Springs, and Ritter Island — in Gooding County, Idaho.[1]
Park units
The state park was created in 2005, when four existing state parks in the Hagerman Valley were merged into a single entity,[2] with an additional unit subsequently added to the complex.
- Billingsley Creek
This former ranch was purchased by the state in 2001.[1] One feature is the homesite of western author Vardis Fisher.[2] Billingsley Creek Unit totals 286 acres (116 ha).[3]
- Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve
This 350-acre (140 ha) box canyon has 250-foot-high (76 m) walls. At its head is the eleventh-largest spring in North America, gushing 180,000 US gallons (680,000 L) per minute.[3] There is a 20-foot (6.1 m) waterfall.[1] The 350-acre (140 ha) property was developed by the Nature Conservancy which purchased the site in 1999, then completed its transfer to the state in 2016.[4] (Does this include Priestly's Hydraulic Ram, listed on the National Register of Historic Places?)
- Malad Gorge
Malad Gorge is a 250-foot-deep (76 m) canyon formed by the Malad River, downstream from a 60-foot (18 m) waterfall. This 652-acre (264 ha) day-use unit is off Interstate 84 and offers hiking and picnicking. A section of the Oregon Trail is visible.[1] Rock pigeons, red-tailed hawks and golden eagles nest in the canyon. Yellow-bellied marmots are found on the canyon floor.
- Niagara Springs
Proclaimed a National Natural Landmark,[5] this area borders the Snake River and features sheer basalt cliffs 350 feet (110 m) high.[3] There are 179 acres (72 ha) in two parcels, acquired in 1971 and 1976.[3]
- Ritter Island
This unit lies along the Snake River between two large springs.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Thousand Springs State Park". Idaho Parks and Recreation. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- ^ a b "Thousand Springs State Park Master Plan, Chapter 1" (PDF). Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. August 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Thousand Springs State Park Master Plan, Chapter 3" (PDF). Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. August 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ "Thousand Springs, Ritter Island & Box Canyon". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- ^ "Niagara Springs". National Natural Landmarks. National Park Service. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
Further reading
- Lamb, M. P.; Dietrich, W. E.; Aciego, S. M.; Depaolo, D. J.; Manga, M. (2008). "Formation of Box Canyon, Idaho, by Megaflood: Implications for Seepage Erosion on Earth and Mars" (PDF). Science. 320 (5879): 1067–70. Bibcode:2008Sci...320.1067L. doi:10.1126/science.1156630. PMID 18497296. S2CID 30609556.
External links
- Thousand Springs State Park Idaho Parks and Recreation
- Thousand Springs State Park Brochure Idaho Parks and Recreation