Bruneau Dunes State Park
| Bruneau Dunes State Park | |
| Idaho State Park | |
 Bruneau sand dunes
|
|
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Idaho |
| County | Owyhee |
| Location | Bruneau |
| - elevation | 2,470 ft (753 m) |
| - coordinates | 42°53′45″N 115°40′40″W / 42.89583°N 115.67778°W |
| Area | 4,800 acres (1,942.5 ha) |
| Founded | 1970 [1] |
| Management | State of Idaho Parks and Recreation |
  Location of Bruneau Dunes State Park in Idaho
|
|
Bruneau Dunes State Park is a state park of Idaho, USA, featuring several large sand dunes and a small lake. The park is located south of Mountain Home, Idaho, outside of Bruneau. The park is the site of North America's highest single-structured sand dune which is approximately 470 feet (140 m) high. The park is also the site of the Bruneau Dunes Observatory, where visitors can use a telescope for stargazing.
Contents |
[edit] Natural history
Reportedly the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America rises to 470 feet (140 m) high above small lakes. The dunes at Bruneau Dunes State Park are unique in the Western Hemisphere. Other dunes in the Americas form at the edge of a natural basin. The Bruneau dunes form near the center. The basin has acted as a natural trap for over 12,000 years. The dunes may have started with sands from the Bonneville Flood about 15,000 years ago. The prevailing winds blow from the southeast 28 percent of the time and from the northwest 32 percent of the time, keeping the dunes fairly stable. Unlike most dunes, these do not drift far.[1]
[edit] Flora and fauna
The state park includes desert, dune, prairie, lake and marsh habitat. Desert wildlife is prominent along with birds of prey along with waterfowl. Fishing for bass and bluegill is popular in the park's small lake. Only non-motorized canoes, rafts and float tubes are allowed.
[edit] Recreation
Activities include fishing, birdwatching, camping, hiking, swimming and viewing the stars at Idaho's only public observatory. No vehicles are allowed on the dunes but climbing, sledding and horseback riding is allowed. An educational center offers natural history displays and interpretive programs. An astronomical observatory is open Friday and Saturday evenings March–October. Two cabins, 82 RV sites (with water/electricity) and 32 standard sites are available year round. An equestrian overnight facility is also available.[2]
[edit] Park history
Land for the park was purchased under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act in May 1967. Additional land was acquired by the Department in 1980 and in 1984, bringing the total area to 4,800 acres (19 km2).[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Digital Atlas of Idaho. "Bruneau Sand Dunes". Idaho Museum of Natural History. http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/parks/bruneau/bruneau.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ^ State of Idaho Parks and Recreation. "Bruneau Dunes State Park". http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/bruneaudunesstatepark.aspx. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
- ^ "State Lands in Idaho: History". Idaho Museum of Natural History. http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/publrecr/text/stlndmn.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
