W.R. Carter Springs
A 70-degree spring at 5,445 feet elevation in Cassia County, Idaho, flowing 21.3 degrees above ambient temperature with moderately mineralized water at 292 mg/L total dissolved solids. Chemistry shows sodium dominance at 52 mg/L, chloride at 49 mg/L, and alkaline pH of 8.1. The spring requires a 231-meter walk from North 54000 West road near Burley.
Located in the high basin country of south-central Idaho, the spring emerges in terrain receiving 11.3 inches annual precipitation and 26.9 inches of snow where average temperatures reach 48.7 degrees. The setting combines agricultural valleys with scattered juniper and sagebrush vegetation at elevations approaching the foothills. The Albion Range rises to the south while the Snake River Plain extends northward. The spring's position in this transition zone reflects the region's complex geology where Basin and Range faulting intersects older volcanic terrain.
Access requires a quarter-kilometer walk across terrain that varies from open range to rocky ground depending on the specific spring location. Visit May through September when snowpack has melted; winter conditions can be severe at this elevation with nearly 27 inches of annual snow. Clear Creek Campground, 16.1 kilometers away, offers non-fee camping from June through October with trail access for hiking and horseback riding.
Named for W.R. Carter, though specific historical details about this individual are not documented in available sources. The spring's location in Cassia County, established in 1879, places it in territory opened to Euro-American settlement following the 1863 gold rush in Idaho and subsequent agricultural development. The chemistry and temperature suggest the spring may have served irrigation or livestock purposes during homesteading era. Current use and access conditions are not specified in federal records.
The water at W.R. Carter Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 8.1) with 292 mg/L total dissolved solids.
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Clear Creek Campground is a non-fee campground and picnic area composed of 12 individual units and reservations are not required. This area is accessible for a season that varies usually between June through October. Campground amenities include toilets and the campground is well suited for tent and RV camping. Sites are handicapped accessible. Bull Flat (#001) and Lake Fork (#004) trails are popular with horseback riders, and hikers.
W.R. Carter Springs sits at 5,445 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 22% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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W.R. Carter Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
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