Big Springs is the name of a first-magnitude spring located in

Island Park, Idaho Island Park is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The city's population was 286 at the 2010 census, up from 215 in 2000. The city was incorporated by owners of the many lodges and resorts along U.S. Route 20 in 1947, primarily to c ...

in Fremont County. The spring produces over 120 million gallons of water each day. It is a primary source of the North Fork or Henrys Fork of the Snake River. The other major source is the Henry's Lake outlet. The Big Springs is also famous for its large rainbow trout which congregate at the foot of the bridge waiting to be fed by the tourists (there are coin-operated feeding dispensers) No fishing is allowed until below the outlet to Henry's Lake, several miles away. Big Springs is the only first-magnitude spring that issues from rhyolite lava flows. It is a

National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only national natural areas program that identifies and recognizes the best ...

designated in August 1980. The spring is in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and the site is managed by the

National Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...

. There is a half mile handicap-accessible trail that offers wildlife viewing of osprey, bald eagles, waterfowl and the occasional moose, white-tailed deer, and muskrat. Next to Big Springs is a log cabin built by Johnny Sack in 1929. The cabin is open to visitors. Johnny Sack Cabin JohnnySackCabin_074535

Aerial View of Cabin and Big Springs JohnnySackCabinAerial_160694

Plaque at Big Springs Mill run by spring water at Johnny Sack Cabin. JohnnySackCabinMill 074483

Bibliography

*Lopez, Tom (2000). ''Idaho, a Climbing Guide: Climbs, Scrambles, and Hikes''. Seattle: Mountaineers' Press. *Tolman, Cyrus Fisher (1937). '' Ground Water''. New York: McGraw-Hill.

References

National Natural Landmarks in Idaho Springs of Idaho Bodies of water of Fremont County, Idaho Caribou-Targhee National Forest {{FremontCountyID-geo-stub