Thousand Springs State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thousand Springs State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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Cliff with springs along the Snake River
at Ritter Island |
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 Thousand Springs State Park
Location in Idaho
Thousand Springs State Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gooding County, Idaho, United States |
| Nearest city | Hagerman, Idaho |
| Area | 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
| Designation | Idaho state park |
| Established | 2005 |
| Administrator | Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Website | Thousand Springs State Park |
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.
Park units
The state park was created in 2005, when four existing state parks in the Hagerman Valley were merged into a single entity, with an additional unit subsequently added to the complex.
- Billingsley Creek
This former ranch was purchased by the state in 2001. One feature is the homesite of western author Vardis Fisher. Billingsley Creek Unit totals 286 acres (116 ha).
- 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. There is a 20-foot (6.1 m) waterfall. 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. (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. 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, this area borders the Snake River and features sheer basalt cliffs 350 feet (110 m) high. There are 179 acres (72 ha) in two parcels, acquired in 1971 and 1976.
- Ritter Island
This unit lies along the Snake River between two large springs.
