Bighorn River
Encyclopedia
The Bighorn River is a tributary
of the Yellowstone
, approximately 461 miles (741.9 km) long, in the western United States
in the states of Wyoming
and Montana
. The river was named in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque for the Bighorn Sheep
he saw along its banks as he explored the Yellowstone River.
The upper reaches of the Bighorn, south of the Owl Creek Mountains
in Wyoming, are known as the Wind River
. The two rivers are sometimes referred to as the Wind/Bighorn. The Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters, on the north side of the Wind River Canyon near the town of Thermopolis
. From there, it flows through the Bighorn Basin
in North Central Wyoming, passing through Thermopolis and Hot Springs State Park
.
At the border with Montana, the river turns northeast, and flows past the north end of the Bighorns, through the Crow Indian Reservation, where the Yellowtail Dam
forms the reservoir Bighorn Lake
. The reservoir and the surrounding gorge are part of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
.
It is joined by the Little Bighorn River
near the town of Hardin, Montana
. Approximately fifty miles further downriver, it joins the Yellowstone.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Yellowstone
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
, approximately 461 miles (741.9 km) long, in the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the states of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. The river was named in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque for the Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
he saw along its banks as he explored the Yellowstone River.
The upper reaches of the Bighorn, south of the Owl Creek Mountains
Owl Creek Mountains
The Owl Creek Mountains are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains in central Wyoming in the United States, running east to west to form a bridge between the Absaroka Range to the northwest and the Bridger Mountains to the east. The range forms the boundary between the Bighorn Basin to the north and the...
in Wyoming, are known as the Wind River
Wind River (Wyoming)
The Wind River is the name applied to the upper reaches of the Bighorn River in Wyoming in the United States. The Wind River is long. The two rivers are sometimes referred to as the Wind/Bighorn.-Course:...
. The two rivers are sometimes referred to as the Wind/Bighorn. The Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters, on the north side of the Wind River Canyon near the town of Thermopolis
Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
. From there, it flows through the Bighorn Basin
Bighorn Basin
The Bighorn Basin is a plateau region and intermontane basin, approximately 100 miles wide, in north-central Wyoming in the United States. It is bounded by the Absaroka Range on the west, the Bighorn Mountains on the east, and the Owl Creek Mountains and Bridger Mountains on the south...
in North Central Wyoming, passing through Thermopolis and Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park is a park in Thermopolis, Wyoming famous for its hot springs. It was Wyoming's first state park.The park includes a number of businesses:*Wyoming Pioneer Home, a state-run assisted-living facility*Gottsche Rehabilitation Center...
.
At the border with Montana, the river turns northeast, and flows past the north end of the Bighorns, through the Crow Indian Reservation, where the Yellowtail Dam
Yellowtail Dam
Yellowtail Dam is a dam across the Bighorn River in southwestern Montana in the United States. The mid-1960s era concrete arch dam serves to regulate the flow of the Bighorn for irrigation purposes and to generate hydroelectric power. The dam and its reservoir, Bighorn Lake, are owned by the U.S...
forms the reservoir Bighorn Lake
Bighorn Lake
Bighorn Lake is a reservoir in the United States located in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming in the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The lake is 40 mi south of Billings, Montana. Bighorn Lake was created by the construction of Yellowtail Dam near Fort Smith, Montana in 1965...
. The reservoir and the surrounding gorge are part of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. This dam, named after the famous Crow chairman Robert Yellowtail, harnessed the waters of the Bighorn River and turned...
.
It is joined by the Little Bighorn River
Little Bighorn River
The Little Bighorn River is a tributary of the Bighorn River in the United States in the states of Wyoming and Montana. The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought on its banks in 1876, as well as the Battle of Crow Agency in 1887....
near the town of Hardin, Montana
Hardin, Montana
Hardin is a city in and the county seat of Big Horn County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,384 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hardin is located at ....
. Approximately fifty miles further downriver, it joins the Yellowstone.
Variant names
The Bighorn River has also been known as: Great Horn River and Le Corne.See also
- List of Wyoming rivers
- List of rivers of Montana
- Montana Stream Access LawMontana Stream Access LawThe Montana Stream Access Law says that anglers, floaters and other recreationists in Montana have full use of most natural waterways between the high water marks for fishing and floating, along with swimming and other river or stream-related activities...