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In this article, we will address the topic of Thousand Springs State Park from different perspectives and approaches, with the aim of providing a complete and detailed vision of this topic that is so relevant today. We will analyze its impact in various areas, its evolution over time and the challenges it poses in contemporary society. In addition, we will examine the different opinions and positions on the matter, as well as the possible solutions and alternatives that have been proposed to address this issue. With this exhaustive analysis, we aim to offer our readers a broad and enriching overview that allows them to better understand the importance and complexity of Thousand Springs State Park.
Thousand Springs State Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Location | Gooding County, Idaho, United States |
Nearest city | Hagerman, Idaho |
Coordinates | 42°51′28″N 114°52′35″W / 42.85778°N 114.87639°W Headquarters, Malad Gorge |
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.
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.
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).
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 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.
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.
This unit lies along the Snake River between two large springs.