Idaho celebrates grand opening of first new state park in over 2 decades – East Idaho News

SALMON — State officials are celebrating the grand opening of Idaho’s newest state park.

Twin Peaks Ranch State Park at 199 Twin Peaks Ranch Road between Challis and Salmon, opened in May. The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation recently acquired the 670-acre site from a private landowner and hosted a ribbon-cutting and open house on Saturday.

The park offers a variety of amenities, including 25 full-service cabins, a lodge and a restaurant. It also has a disc golf course, a rodeo arena and an equestrian center.

“We’ll be able to stage horseback tours out of that area,” Ryan Buffington, the department’s East Region manager who serves as the park’s spokesman,” told EastIdahoNews.com in May. “We’re working with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to designate an off-highway vehicle trailhead as well.”

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Two campgrounds are in development on the property for future use — one accommodating off-highway vehicles and the other catering to people on horseback.

Community members, local leaders and visitors across the state attended Saturday’s open house. Muzzie Braun from Challis-based band Braun Brothers Reunion was there, as was Salmon Back Country Horsemen Association. Multiple food vendors were there as well, including Water’s Edge Food Truck, and Taco Wagon Food Truck.

In a June 18 news release, Idaho Parks and Recreation Director Susan Buxton said she’s excited to celebrate the opening of Idaho’s 30th state park, and the 28th one under the department’s management.

“Opening Twin Peaks Ranch State Park marks a historic milestone for Idaho Parks and Recreation,” Buxton said. “This park serves as a gateway to endless outdoor recreation opportunities while creating a premier destination for visitors seeking adventure, relaxation and unforgettable experiences.”

Twin Peaks Ranch is the first newly acquired standalone state park in nearly 30 years. Thousand Springs in Gooding County, which is a natural discharge point for the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, wasn’t recognized as an official state park until 2005. The designation merged four natural landmarks — Malad Gorge, Niagara Springs, Billingsley Creek and Ritter Island — into one unified site.

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Heyburn State Park, created in 1908, is Idaho’s oldest state park, according to the University of Idaho. The donation of the Harriman family’s 11,000-acre ranch to the State of Idaho in 1963 — what is now Harriman State Park — led to the creation of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

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Buffington says the Moore family sold the Twin Peaks Ranch property to the State of Idaho in October. They bought it in 2018. It began operating as a guest ranch in the 1990s, but had been a dude ranch for 40 years before that.

While there is evidence of early settlements on the property in the 1890s, Buffington says its definitive history begins in the 1950s. E. DuPont bought it, built five cabins and ran it as a dude ranch. It was sold to another private holding in the 1970s, and more amenities were added.

Buffington says multiple Moore family members were involved in the ranch when they bought it eight years ago. Many of them backed out over time, and managing it became “too challenging.” That’s what led the family to list it for sale.

The State of Idaho saw the listing and bought it from them. Buffington says they were thrilled with the idea of it becoming public property that everyone could enjoy.

“Twin Peaks Ranch State Park represents a significant investment in Idaho’s public lands and local communities. The project reflects IDPR’s mission to improve quality of life through outdoor recreation and resource stewardship while expanding public access to some of Idaho’s most scenic and unspoiled landscapes,” the news release says. “The park is expected to deliver lasting benefits to recreation, conservation, tourism, and community well-being for generations to come.”

Department officials say Twin Peaks Ranch State Park is ideal for corporate retreats, weddings, family reunions and other events. To make a reservation or learn more, call 208-894-2290 or visit the website.