Gibbon River
Encyclopedia
The Gibbon River is a river
in Yellowstone National Park
, in Wyoming
, the United States
. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake
. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades
into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris Geyser Basin and through the Gibbon Geyser Basin. From there it flows through the Gibbon River Canyon to its confluence
with the Firehole River
to form the Madison River
. Early maps listed the river as Gibbons Fork or the East Fork of the Madison River. The river between Norris and Madison Junction is paralleled by the Grand Loop Road
.
fishing destination. The upper section of river has very difficult access being choked with thick forests and lots of downed timber. The fish, consisting of brook trout, rainbow trout and grayling are all on the small side, rarely exceeding 10 inches (254 mm). Below Gibbon Falls
access is excellent and the river has a healthly mix of rainbow and brown trout. The lower river receives a good run of spawning browns in the fall.
The Gibbon River is fly fishing
only and catch and release below Gibbon Falls. Above the falls, any grayling or cutthroat trout caught must be released. Five brook, rainbow and/or brown trout may be harvested daily in the waters above the falls.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
, in 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...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It rises in the center of the park at Grebe Lake
Grebe Lake
Grebe Lake is a backcountry lake in Yellowstone National Park most noted for it population of Arctic Grayling. Grebe Lake comprises the headwaters of the Gibbon River. Grebe Lake is located approximately north of the Norris-Canyon section of the Grand Loop Road. The trail to the lake passes...
. It flows for a short distance into Wolf Lake. Below Wolf Lake, the river flows through Virginia Cascades
Virginia Cascades
Virginia Cascades , is a cascade type waterfall on the Gibbon River in Yellowstone National Park. Virginia Cascades is located just south of the Norris-Canyon road approximately east of Norris Junction...
into the Norris valley. It flows near the Norris Geyser Basin and through the Gibbon Geyser Basin. From there it flows through the Gibbon River Canyon to its confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the Firehole River
Firehole River
The Firehole River is one of two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park...
to form the Madison River
Madison River
The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana form the Missouri River....
. Early maps listed the river as Gibbons Fork or the East Fork of the Madison River. The river between Norris and Madison Junction is paralleled by the Grand Loop Road
Grand Loop Road Historic District
The Grand Loop Road Historic District encompasses the primary road system in Yellowstone National Park. Much of the system was originally planned by Captain Hiram M. Chittenden of the US Army Corps of Engineers in the early days of the park, when it was under military administration...
.
Angling
The Gibbon River is a popular troutTrout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing destination. The upper section of river has very difficult access being choked with thick forests and lots of downed timber. The fish, consisting of brook trout, rainbow trout and grayling are all on the small side, rarely exceeding 10 inches (254 mm). Below Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...
access is excellent and the river has a healthly mix of rainbow and brown trout. The lower river receives a good run of spawning browns in the fall.
The Gibbon River is fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
only and catch and release below Gibbon Falls. Above the falls, any grayling or cutthroat trout caught must be released. Five brook, rainbow and/or brown trout may be harvested daily in the waters above the falls.
See also
- Angling in Yellowstone National ParkAngling in Yellowstone National ParkAngling in Yellowstone National Park is a major reason many visitors come to the park each year and since it was created in 1872, the park has drawn anglers from around the world to fish its waters. In 2006, over 50,000 park fishing permits were issued to visitors...
- Fishes of Yellowstone National ParkFishes of Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park is home to 13 native Fish species and six introduced or non-native species. Angling for trout has been a pastime in the park since its creation and trout species dominate the fish inhabiting the park. When the park was created in 1872, 40% of the park's waters were barren...
- Grand Loop Road Historic DistrictGrand Loop Road Historic DistrictThe Grand Loop Road Historic District encompasses the primary road system in Yellowstone National Park. Much of the system was originally planned by Captain Hiram M. Chittenden of the US Army Corps of Engineers in the early days of the park, when it was under military administration...
- Gibbon FallsGibbon FallsGibbon Falls is a waterfall on the Gibbon River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Gibbon Falls has a drop of approximately...