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US Forest Service
Intermountain
Region
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT 84401

(801) 625-5306

Geologic Points of Interest

Boise National Forest

Type	Springs/Falls, Volcanic Activity, Earthquake Activity
Site Name	Kirkham Hot Springs
Directions	On Highway 21 to Lowman, ID, turn left on the Banks-Lowman Road or take Highway 55 north to Banks, turn right on Banks-Lowman Road.
Description	The Kirkham Hot Spring is easily accessible on foot from the nearby national forest Kirkham campground. Summer season is usually quite busy and nightly closure from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. is strictly enforced. Steamy waterfalls and hot pools make this site very inviting to the weary traveler. The Kirkham Hot Spring is part of the South Fork Payette Geothermal System (SFPGS). This series of thermal springs is located along faults that fracture the Atlanta lobe of the Idaho Batholith. Seismic activity helps to keep the hydrothermal systems in this region active. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake, the highest magnitude ever recorded in Idaho, occurred as recently as 1983. Noticeable changes in flow rates of the springs were recorded near the epicenter which was located just north of the SFPGS. The Idaho batholith is comprised of Cretaceous period micaceous granites, leucogranites, and gradiorites. Tertiary plutons of granite and diorite are also present (Druschel et al., 2001).
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By National Forest
Ashley Boise Bridger-Teton Caribou-Targhee Dixie Fishlake Humboldt-Toiyabe Manti-LaSal Payette Salmon-Challis Sawtooth Uinta Wasatch-Cache
By Interest
Caves/Sinkholes Cliffs/Canyons/Outcrops Earthquake Activity Fluvial Activity Fossils/Tracks Glacial Activity Lakes/Wetlands Mass Wasting Mining Mountain Ranges/Basins Rock/Mineral Collecting Scenic Byways/Areas/ Overlooks Springs/Falls Volcanic Activity
Regional Geologic Provinces
Columbia Plateau Basin and Range Colorado Plateau Rocky Mountain System
Works Cited

US Forest Service - Intermountain Region
Last Modified: Monday, 10 March 2008 at 18:21:58 EDT