Warm Springs Preserve
A Partnership Between:
At the foot of Bald Mountain, where the Big Wood River meets Warm Springs Creek, lies Warm Springs Preserve—a cherished gathering space for our community. This remarkable 65-acre property, once a golf course, faced the threat of development but was ultimately saved through a powerful community effort.
Initially used informally as a dog park, the Preserve’s future was secured by the City of Ketchum, which spearheaded a campaign to raise an impressive $9 million. With vital support from the Wood River Land Trust, Spur Community Foundation, and generous donations from over 1,000 community members, the Preserve is now permanently protected for everyone to enjoy. In April 2022, the City purchased the property for $8 million, allocating an additional $1 million for crucial upgrades to the outdated irrigation system. This acquisition also expanded the Preserve, adding 15 acres of beautiful riparian woodlands along the southern floodplain of Warm Springs Creek, just above its confluence with the Big Wood River.
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Today, Warm Springs Preserve is a vibrant hub, utilized by a diverse range of individuals—from dog walkers and disc golf players to Nordic skiers and more. Recognizing the property's historical use, the City is dedicated to restoring the environment, enhancing accessibility, and upgrading essential facilities. The vision for this beloved landscape is guided by community input, aiming to create an inclusive, accessible, and restorative place to gather.
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The current focus is on restoring Warm Springs Creek to its natural function, which will improve habitat for local wildlife and enhance access for our community.
Important Update:
Warm Springs Preserve Restoration Project
Good news! We're making great progress on the multi-phase Warm Springs Preserve Restoration Project. This exciting work will bring you river restoration, a new irrigation system, and improved recreational amenities for everyone to enjoy.
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What to Expect & When
You can expect to see and hear heavy equipment activity in the area, and some work may even take place on weekends. We appreciate your understanding as we complete this important project.
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For your safety and that of our construction crew, the lower floodplain and access to Warm Springs Creek upstream of the bridge are currently CLOSED until mid-to-late September.
Your Cooperation is Crucial: Safety First!
You'll see orange fencing and clear "Keep Out" signs around all work areas. This is not a suggestion – it's for your safety and the safety of the crew.
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We've had too many instances of people cutting or stepping over fences to enter closed areas.
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If this continues, the city to close the entire Warm Springs Preserve to the public. We truly don't want to do this, but public safety is our top priority. Please respect all closures and signage.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work to enhance Warm Springs Preserve! Your patience helps us create a better space for everyone.
Open Areas to Enjoy!
While some areas are closed, there's still plenty of the Preserve for you to enjoy!
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The upper lawn area, the Fairway, will generally remain open throughout the project. You might see small, temporary closures there as we install the new irrigation system.
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Plus, nearly 30 acres of the southern Preserve remain fully open this year! You can easily access this area by walking directly from the parking lot towards the hill – the city created a new trail that goes right around it.
Project Details
River Restoration:
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This is the largest river restoration project in the Big Wood River basin! We will construct 8 acres of floodplain habitat, 2,000 ft of side channels, 1 acre of wetland habitat, and approximately 40 large woody debris structures that will benefit our native trout population!
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To complete this phase within this year, we plan to temporarily de-water Warm Spring Creek and push water into the newly formed side channel. This will occur in mid-August and last a few weeks so the construction crew can do the restoration work in Warm Springs Creek.
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If we do not de-water the creek, heavy equipment and closures extend into the 2026 construction season.
New Irrigation System:
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The current irrigation system was installed in the 1960s and is very inefficient.
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The new system will save ~50 million gallons of water annually and can be used at night, not to interfere with recreational users during the day.
Trails/Amenities:
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New trails will be developed to access all the different types of habitats of the Preserve.
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Many of these trails will be built to ADA standards so all users' abilities can use the Preserve.
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A welcome building, including restrooms will be constructed near the current parking lot