Hoback River
Encyclopedia
The Hoback River, also called the Fall River, is an approximately 55 miles (88.5 km)-long tributary of the Snake River
in the U.S. state
of Wyoming
. It rises in the southern Rocky Mountains
of Wyoming and flows northeast through the Teton National Forest
, before turning northwest to join the Snake just downstream of Jackson Hole
, near the head of the Snake River Canyon
and near the town of Hoback
. The largest tributary of the Hoback River is its South Fork, which joins it near the town of Bondurant
, where the river spreads onto a large marshy flat in a braided floodplain. However, most of the river flows through narrow valleys and in its lower course, steep mountain canyons. The entire length of the Hoback is free flowing and unobstructed by dams. About 30 miles (48.3 km) downstream from the confluence with the Hoback River, the Snake River crosses into the state of Idaho
and is impounded by Palisades Dam
.
The river is named after John Hoback, an explorer who traveled with the Astor Expedition
from the Snake River, using the Hoback River as a passage to the Green River
, a tributary of the Colorado River
.
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. It rises in the southern Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of Wyoming and flows northeast through the Teton National Forest
Teton National Forest
Teton National Forest was first established by the General Land Office on February 22, 1897 as the Teton Forest Reserve with . A commission was established in 1896 to plan for a system of national forest reserves, recommending an expansion of the territory protected by the Yellowstone Timberland...
, before turning northwest to join the Snake just downstream of Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole, originally called Jackson's Hole, is a valley located in the U.S. state of Wyoming, near the western border with Idaho. The name "hole" derives from language used by early trappers or mountain men, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along...
, near the head of the Snake River Canyon
Snake River Canyon (Wyoming)
The Snake River Canyon is formed by the Snake River on the western border of Wyoming south of Jackson Hole. At the southern end of this canyon is the town of Alpine, Wyoming where the Snake River meets the Greys River and the Salt River at Palisades Reservoir on the Wyoming-Idaho border...
and near the town of Hoback
Hoback, Wyoming
Hoback is a census-designated place in Teton County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson, WY–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hoback is located at ....
. The largest tributary of the Hoback River is its South Fork, which joins it near the town of Bondurant
Bondurant, Wyoming
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155 people, 75 households, and 45 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2.0 people per square mile . There were 128 housing units at an average density of 1.6/sq mi . The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.06% White, 1.94% from...
, where the river spreads onto a large marshy flat in a braided floodplain. However, most of the river flows through narrow valleys and in its lower course, steep mountain canyons. The entire length of the Hoback is free flowing and unobstructed by dams. About 30 miles (48.3 km) downstream from the confluence with the Hoback River, the Snake River crosses into the state of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and is impounded by Palisades Dam
Palisades Dam
thumb|300px|Palisades Reservoir in winterPalisades Dam is an earth-fill dam on the Snake River in Bonneville County in the U.S. state of Idaho. The dam was completed in 1957 and provides irrigation water, flood control, and recreation; it features a four-turbine hydroelectric power plant. The dam...
.
The river is named after John Hoback, an explorer who traveled with the Astor Expedition
Astor Expedition
The Astor Expedition of 1810-1812 was the next overland expedition from St. Louis, Missouri to the mouth of the Columbia River after the Corps of Discovery, led by Lewis and Clark.-History:...
from the Snake River, using the Hoback River as a passage to the Green River
Green River (Utah)
The Green River, located in the western United States, is the chief tributary of the Colorado River. The watershed of the river, known as the Green River Basin, covers parts of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The Green River is long, beginning in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming and flowing...
, a tributary of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
.