Took the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway off I-84 to US-30 in south central Idaho, near Twin Falls. It is a beautiful drive and well worth the extra time. Wanted to visit the Thousand Springs Preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy. Found out that they gave the land to Idaho Parks and Recreation in 2006 and the preserve is now part of Thousand Springs State Park. The preserve has the last unaltered canyon wall spring in a system that once stretched for miles*. The spring water comes to the surface through a lava rock wall and flows into the Snake River. The Thousand Springs Hydro Project is right next to it. They provide a day-use picnic area at the entrance to the State Park.
The Thousand Springs State Park is made up of five different sites. You could spend weeks exploring it and the wildlife management areas that are also in the area. There are also a number of fish hatcheries. It was hard to find the preserve, as there were no signs directing me to it. The park doesn’t officially open till Memorial Day, so signs may be put up by then. To get to the former preserve, you drive down a steep, narrow, dirt road which only the smallest rv’s should attempt.
* Idaho Wildlife Viewing Guide, 2003
A muskrat.
Boise, Idaho and its’ suburbs are like any towns you would see in Southern California. Twin Falls, however, is more of a farm town. In the village of Filer, saw the store below for game processing and a mobile butcher. Next to it is a store to process grains.
