Succor Creek

Succor Creek
Succor Creek in Malheur County, Oregon
Succor Creek is located in Idaho
Succor Creek
Location of the mouth of Succor Creek in Idaho
EtymologyObscure, but possibly for the creek's fresh water, which gave aid (succor) to early travelers south of the Snake River.[2]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateIdaho, Oregon
CountyOwyhee, Malheur
Physical characteristics
SourceOwyhee Mountains
 • locationnear Johnston Lakes, Owyhee County, Idaho
 • coordinates43°05′45″N 116°50′18″W / 43.09583°N 116.83833°W / 43.09583; -116.83833[1]
 • elevation6,976 ft (2,126 m)[3]
MouthSnake River
 • location
near Homedale, Owyhee County, Idaho
 • coordinates
43°37′55″N 116°56′47″W / 43.63194°N 116.94639°W / 43.63194; -116.94639[1]
 • elevation
2,211 ft (674 m)[1]
Length69 mi (111 km)[4]
Basin size494 sq mi (1,280 km2)[5]

Succor Creek is a 69.4-mile-long (111.7 km)[4] tributary of the Snake River in the U.S. states of Idaho and Oregon.[1] The creek begins in the Owyhee Mountains in Owyhee County, Idaho.[1] After flowing for about 23 miles (37 km) in Idaho, Succor Creek enters Malheur County, Oregon, where it flows for 39 miles (63 km) before re-entering Idaho for its final 5 miles (8.0 km).[6] It joins the Snake near Homedale, about 413 river miles (665 km) from the larger river's confluence with the Columbia River.[7]

Succor Creek State Natural Area is 30 miles (48 km) south of Nyssa along an unpaved road off Oregon Route 201. It has only primitive camping with no potable water.[8] The canyon in which the natural area is located is known for fossils, geologic formations, and thundereggs, the Oregon state rock.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Succor Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28, 1980. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  2. ^ a b McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003) [First published 1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 920. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  3. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  4. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 3, 2011
  5. ^ "USGS 13173500 Succor Creek At Mouth Nr Homedale ID". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  6. ^ "National Hydrography Dataset". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  7. ^ United States Geological Survey. "United States Topographic Map: Wilder, Idaho, quadrangle". TopoQuest. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  8. ^ "Succor Creek State Natural Area". Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved March 10, 2011.