Thousand Springs State Park, State park and National Natural Landmark in Gooding County, Idaho.
Thousand Springs State Park comprises six distinct sections: Malad Gorge, Billingsley Creek, Ritter Island, Box Canyon, Kelton Trail, and Niagara Springs along the Snake River. Each section offers different views of waterfalls, canyons, and river landscapes.
The park was established in 2005 and includes the historic Kelton Trail, which functioned as a trade route between Boise, Idaho, and Kelton, Utah from 1864 to 1883. This old route remains visible today, marking an important pioneer-era connection.
The Thousand Springs Art Festival at Ritter Island draws regional artists each year to showcase their work against a backdrop of natural beauty. This gathering merges creative expression with the landscape itself.
A new visitor center completed in 2022 provides central information and services about all six park units and the nearby Hagerman Fossil Beds. This is a good place to start and learn which sections you want to explore first.
Box Canyon Springs flows with remarkable force from underground aquifers, making this spot a striking display of hidden water power. The sheer volume emerging from the canyon walls surprises visitors expecting a drier landscape.
Location: Gooding County
Inception: 2005
Website: https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/thousand-springs
GPS coordinates: 42.85780,-114.87600
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:40
Idaho's remote locations offer access to diverse landscapes ranging from alpine lakes nestled in mountain ranges to volcanic formations and high desert terrain. The state contains geological features formed over thousands of years, including lava tubes that preserve ice year-round, sand dunes rising hundreds of feet, and one of North America's deepest river canyons. Historic mining towns preserve architecture from the silver boom era, while natural hot springs dot the landscape alongside waterfalls that cascade through forested valleys. These destinations span from the granite spires of City of Rocks National Reserve, where climbers tackle routes on 600-foot rock formations, to Priest Lake in the northern forests, stretching 19 miles through conifer-covered wilderness. Visitors can explore the black lava fields of Craters of the Moon, spanning over 1,100 square miles, or descend into caves where ice formations persist despite surface temperatures. The Snake River carves through Hell's Canyon at depths reaching 7,900 feet, creating opportunities for rafting and fishing. Whether hiking to Sawtooth Lake at 8,800 feet elevation, observing stars from an observatory at Bruneau Dunes State Park, or walking through the Victorian streets of Wallace, these locations provide experiences across Idaho's varied terrain.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
9.2 km
Little City of Rocks Wilderness Study Area
32.8 km
Owsley Bridge
10.4 km
Archie Webster House
32 km
Schubert Theatre
16.3 km
Canyonside School
36.2 km
Jerome City Pump House
33.5 km
Greer and Jennie Quay House
32.4 km
Our Lady of Limerick Catholic Church
35.9 km
Jerome County Courthouse
32.8 km
Arnold Stevens House
27.8 km
Frank J. Brick House
33.4 km
Thompson Mortuary Chapel
16.1 km
E. C. Gleason House
33.1 km
William Weigle House and Water Tank
25.3 km
Buhl IOOF Building
30.3 km
Dick Callen House
35.6 km
Gorby Opera Theater
36 km
Edgar Johnson House
36 km
Thomas J. Kehrer House
28.8 km
Joseph Mandl House
33.2 km
George V. Doughty House and Garage
33.6 km
Wood River Center Grange No. 87
36.2 km
Don Tooley House
34 km
Ramona Theatre
30.4 km
O. J. Daniels House
37 km
John F. Schmerschall House
33 km
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument Visitor Center
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