Official Government Website
Thousand Springs State Park / Malad Gorge
PARK UPDATE
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation is proud to announce the opening of a new 50-unit campground at Thousand Springs State Park. Reserve your spot at Billingsley Creek Campground
Visitor Center Hours:
March 1 to May 21: Open daily on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Note: The Visitor Center will be closed May 15 for a training.
Summer 2025 Visitor Center Hours:
May 22 to September 1: Open 7 days per week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Please note Malad Gorge will experience flood irrigation every other Tuesday starting May 14.
Park Reservations
Additional Links
Learn more about the Thousand Springs Art Festival that takes place on Ritter Island annually.
Follow Thousand Springs State Park on Facebook.
For more information about Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, please visit: www.nps.gov/hafo and follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/HagermanFossilBedsNPS.
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Contact the Park
Address:
Hagerman, ID 83332
Phone:
Hours of Operation:
Upcoming Events
Thousand Springs State Park is a testament to why this rugged area of southern Idaho is called the Magic Valley. The park is divided into six units that are all within short driving distance of each other. Each unit offers a unique experience.
Visitors can explore the Oregon Trail at the Kelton Trail; hike and picnic at magnificent Malad Gorge; fish, view wildlife or ride horses in the indoor arena at Billingsley Creek; step back in time and tour historic agricultural structures at Ritter Island; hike in Box Canyon Nature Preserve and watch bald eagles; picnic or teach the kids to fish at Niagara Springs.
The Beloved Archie B. Teater and His Painting of an Idaho State Park
(Archie Boyd Teater)
1901 – 1978 – During a career that spanned over fifty years, Archie Boyd Teater continued to paint in the outdoor light. His plein air landscapes were inspired by the mountainous beauty of his birthplace in Idaho. Throughout his lifetime, Teater continued to paint the Western landscape, in addition to the landscapes of the many countries he visited. Landscapes and street scenes from Scandinavia, the British Isles, Western Europe, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, the Orient, South America, Australia and New Zealand comprise what is known as his International Collection.
Teater’s paintings have been featured in museum exhibitions next to work by artists such as Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Thomas Moran, Thomas Hart Benton, in addition to John Sloan and John Carroll in New York galleries.
Teater, born in 1901, balanced his early painting career between the need to earn a living and his passion for painting. He worked alongside miners, trappers and lumberjacks who had little patience or understanding for the sensitive artist, and so he would often take his wagon into the mountains, where he enjoyed the solitude, to work for days on his landscapes.
Archie and his wife lived, part of the time, in Hagerman Idaho. Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home and studio for Archie and his wife Patricia in 1952. The home, overlooks the Snake River, and is the only studio designed by Wright for another artist.
Idaho Landscapes
From the high desert near his home above the Snake River in Hagerman Valley to mountain towns nestled below the alpine peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho, the artist never failed to find either the simple beauty of the land or the dramatic grandeur of nature.
“Thousand Springs, As They Were”
Thousand Springs State Park, with its five beautiful units and multiple areas, is a testament to why the area is called the Magic Valley. Visitors can view wagon ruts and bridge abutments at Kelton Trail, explore the magnificent Malad Gorge, access the riding arena at Billingsley Creek, step back in time and tour historic structures at Ritter Island and Bonnieview, take in the scenery at Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve, view Niagara Springs, fish at Crystal Lake. Day use opportunities abound within the units of Thousand Springs State Park.
“Minnie Miller Ranch, Gooding County”
The Ritter Island/Minnie Miller Farm property was part of the Thousand Springs Preserve purchased by the Nature Conservancy. It is now part of Thousand Springs State Park. In 1918 Minnie Miller purchased what is now the state park at sheriff’s auction. A successful businesswoman and farmer, Minnie Miller was also concerned about protecting the natural wonders found at Thousand Springs. In 1944 her classic dairy farm was featured in National Geographic magazine as one of the state’s most impressive. Hundreds attended her annual ice cream social and heard educational and agricultural speakers. The farm passed to Judge Wallis Ritter in 1954. For the next 31 years Judge Ritter and his heirs fought diversion of the farm’s free flowing springs. In 1986 the Nature Conservancy purchased the farm for $1.2 million and in December of 2006 the farm with 300 acres including Ritter Island and 2 miles of Middle Snake riverfront passed to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. The original farmstead includes a two-story stone farmhouse, three small cottages, a well-preserved dairy farm, and other farm buildings.
Archie B. Teater
- Hike
- Bike
- Horse
- Nordic
- Auto Touring/Scenic Routes
- Group Picnic Shelter
General Accomodations
- Lodges/Houses
No additional seasonal information provided.
FAQs
Where does the water originate from?
The spring water discharged from Thousand Springs State Park comes from the Snake River Plain Aquifer. The Snake River Plain aquifer acts less like an underground pool and more like a river moving water underground from high areas to low areas. Depending upon where a particular particle of water enters the aquifer and providing it is not removed from the aquifer for agricultural or municipal purposes, it may take 12-350 years for that particle of water to emerge from the aquifer at Thousand Springs.
How much water flows out of the spring?
According to the sign at the entrance of the park the springs flow at 180,000 gallons a minute making it the 11th largest springs in the United States.
How pure is the water?
Because the water must flow through the cracks and crevices of the basalt rock that contains the aquifer the water is very pure. You may notice that there is a bright light green plant in the water. That plant is Water Veronica which is an indicator of stream health.
Where does the water go?
The water flows toward the Snake River. Just before reaching the river there is a diversion pond. From this pond water is piped across land and then goes under the Snake River to the fish hatchery on the far bank of the river. Part of the water from the diversion pond is allowed to flow directly into the Snake River.
Is there a trail down to the Malad River?
No, but you can access the lower river via the Idaho Power service road off of Highway 30.
Can you camp at Malad Gorge?
No, but there are several private campgrounds in the area.
How high is the footbridge over the Malad Gorge from the river?
Approximately 175 feet, but the canyon deepens to 250 feet as it gets nearer the Snake River Canyon.
How long is the Malad river?
The river is about 12 miles long and is formed when the Big and Little Wood Rivers combine near Gooding, Idaho, northeast of the park.