Thousand Springs State Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
| Thousand Springs State Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
 Cliff with springs along the Snake River at Ritter Island | |
  Location in Idaho  Location in the United States | |
| Location | Gooding County, Idaho, United States |
| Nearest city | Hagerman, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 42°51′28″N 114°52′35″W Headquarters, Malad Gorge |
| Area | 2,000 acres (8.1 km2)[1] |
| Elevation | 2,800 ft (850 m)[1] |
| Designation | Idaho state park |
| Established | 2005 |
| Administrator | Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Website | Thousand Springs State Park |
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]
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