You'll Want Several Days To Explore One Of The Most Beautiful State Parks In Idaho
By Courtnie Erickson|Published March 17, 2022
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Courtnie Erickson
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From Southern Utah to the Panhandle in Idaho, Courtnie Erickson has lived in what she believes are the best (and the most beautiful!) areas in the country. She graduated with a journalism degree from Utah State University and has more than 15 years of professional writing experience. You’ll likely see her with a Dr. Pepper in her hand and a pair of running shoes on her feet. Courtnie is a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState.
There are more than two dozen state parks in Idaho. While some of these parks are quite popular and well-known among both Idahoans and out-of-state visitors, there is one state park in particular that stands out. Thousand Springs State Park is one of the most unique and beautiful state parks in Idaho. It offers something for everyone and there is so much to do and see that you’ll need (and want!) several days to explore it.
Thousand Springs State Park is not like many other state parks in Idaho. This park is divided into six separate units and these areas are all located near one another, making it easy to explore the entire state park. However, each unit is quite different in its landscapes, the things you can do there, and more.
Ritter Island has quite an interesting history that dates back to the pioneers. This area was once the location of a dairy farm and several pioneer homes. Today, there are two homes you can spend the night in, along with multiple hiking trails to explore, and the gorgeous Lemmon Falls to admire. Ritter Island is also the location of the annual Thousand Springs Festival of the Arts.
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The Malad Gorge is another area of Thousand Springs State Park that draws many visitors. However, this unit is vastly different than Ritter Island.
The Malad Gorge is a 250-foot gorge with a river flowing through it. There are hiking trails that take you around the gorge or you can capture stunning images of the unique scenery from the bridge.
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During your visit to this beautiful state park in Idaho, make sure you spend some time in Kelton Trail. This trail was once a trade route and was used by wagons along the Oregon Trail.
Kelton Trail is fun to explore as you can see the wagon wheel ruts in the rocks and you can read the interpretive signs to learn more about the history of the pioneers and the area. This is one part of the state park that won’t take a lot of time to explore, but you don’t want to miss it either.
Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve is one of our favorite areas at this beautiful state park, located just west of Twin Falls. Here, you can visit a gorgeous overlook and hike down the canyon to reach a beautiful 20-foot waterfall.
The overlook at Box Canyon gives you incredible views of the 11th largest natural spring in America, which flows at a rate of 180,000 gallons per minute. Spend some time reading all about the area and the spring and then lace up your hiking shoes and hike into the canyon to reach the waterfall. Check out our article to learn all about this hiking trail in Idaho.
One underrated area of Thousand Springs State Park is Niagara Springs.
In this section of Thousand Springs State Park, you will see a waterfall coming out of the canyon at 250-cubic-feet-per second. This water is a gorgeous blue color and is just one of the many reasons this area is known as one of the most beautiful state parks in Idaho. Niagara Springs is also an excellent place to spend the day fishing or relaxing on the grass.
Billingsley Creek is one of the newer areas of this state park and is located near Hagerman. In this area, you can spend your day fishing and your night at the RV campground. Eventually, this will be the location of a new Visitor’s Center, where you can learn even more about Thousand Springs State Park.
Whether you spend a weekend or an entire week, there is so much to do and see at Thousand Springs State Park. Have you visited this beautiful state park in Idaho before? What did you do and where did you spend your time? We’d love to hear about your adventure in the comments.
If you’d like to learn more about Thousand Springs State Park, visit the Idaho Parks and Recreation website. If you don’t have several days to explore this state park, how about a scenic drive? Thousand Springs Scenic Byway is a 67-mile scenic drive near some of the stunning areas mentioned above. It may just be one of the most beautiful drives in Idaho.
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