Bighorn River / Wind River
790.7 km | 491.32 mi
Length can differ from official measure!
Kategorie 4
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The Bighorn River, also known as the Wind River in its upper reaches, is a major tributary of the Yellowstone River in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. The river has a total length of approximately 742 km (461 miles), with the Wind River forming the upper reaches and the Bighorn River forming the lower reaches. The name change occurs at the so-called "Wedding of the Waters" at the northern exit of Wind River Canyon, about 7 km south of Thermopolis, Wyoming.
Course and Geography
Upper Course (Wind River): The Wind River originates at Togwotee Pass in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of approximately 2,930 m (9,600 ft). It initially flows southeast through the Wind River Basin, a semi-arid high-altitude valley, past towns such as Dubois and Riverton, where it joins the Little Wind River. At Riverton, the river turns north, is impounded by the Boysen Dam to form Boysen Reservoir, and then flows through the Wind River Canyon, a spectacular gorge between the Owl Creek Mountains to the west and the Bridger Mountains to the east.
At the "Wedding of the Waters" (approximately 4,300 feet elevation), the Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River. This point marks the transition into the Bighorn Basin in north-central Wyoming.
The Bighorn River flows north through the Bighorn Basin, past Thermopolis, Worland, and Basin. The Greybull River joins the Bighorn River at Greybull, and about 30 miles north of there, the river reaches Bighorn Lake, formed by the Yellowtail Dam on the Wyoming-Montana border. The river then flows northeast through the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, flowing approximately 90 miles to join the Yellowstone River at Bighorn, Montana.
The river was named in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque after the bighorn sheep he observed along the Yellowstone River. European explorers in the south (Wyoming) called the upper reaches the Wind River, while the lower reaches in Montana became known as the Bighorn River. Only later was it recognized that they were the same river, and the name change was established at the "Wedding of the Waters."
In the Apsáalooke (Crow) language, the river is called "Iisaxpúatahcheeaashisee" (Great Bighorn Sheep River), and in the Gros Ventre language, "ʔɔ́tééíníícááh" (Wild Sheep River).
The Bighorn Basin and the Wind River Basin were originally inhabited by the Eastern Shoshone and Crow peoples. The first documented European in the region was John Colter (1807), who explored the area for the fur trade. Later, the area was settled by ranchers, and the river played an important role in irrigation and agriculture.
The river has an average flow of about 18,365 cubic feet per second (cfs), with peaks reaching 66,500 cfs (e.g., in June 2023). The current flow is about 14,020 cfs, which is about 76% of the average.
The Boysen Dam (built in 1952) in Wind River Canyon and the Yellowtail Dam (built in 1967) on the Wyoming-Montana border regulate the river. The Yellowtail Dam creates Bighorn Lake, which is used for power generation, flood control, and irrigation. Large irrigation projects exist in Riverton, Wyoming, and Bighorn, Montana.
The Bighorn River is a world-renowned "blue ribbon" trout river, especially below Yellowtail Dam, where the cold, clear water provides ideal conditions for rainbow and brown trout (5,000–6,000 trout per mile). The section near Fort Smith, Montana, is especially popular with anglers, while the upper section near Thermopolis is known for its slow, fish-rich sections.
The river flows through impressive landscapes, including the steep-sided Wind River Canyon and the Bighorn Basin, a high plateau between the Big Horn Mountains to the east and the Absaroka Range to the west. Montana's Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers spectacular views and recreational opportunities.
In addition to fishing, the river is suitable for rafting, kayaking, and other water sports, especially in the upper section (Class I-II). However, access is restricted by Crow Reservation land and private properties, with public access points such as Afterbay Dam, Lind Ranch, and Bighorn Access.
The Wind/Bighorn River is a river with two names, distinguished by its unique geography, historical significance, and ecological diversity. From its wild upper reaches in the Rocky Mountains to its tranquil lower reaches in Montana, it is a central element of the region, both for nature and for the people who depend on it.
Course and Geography
Upper Course (Wind River): The Wind River originates at Togwotee Pass in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of approximately 2,930 m (9,600 ft). It initially flows southeast through the Wind River Basin, a semi-arid high-altitude valley, past towns such as Dubois and Riverton, where it joins the Little Wind River. At Riverton, the river turns north, is impounded by the Boysen Dam to form Boysen Reservoir, and then flows through the Wind River Canyon, a spectacular gorge between the Owl Creek Mountains to the west and the Bridger Mountains to the east.
At the "Wedding of the Waters" (approximately 4,300 feet elevation), the Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River. This point marks the transition into the Bighorn Basin in north-central Wyoming.
The Bighorn River flows north through the Bighorn Basin, past Thermopolis, Worland, and Basin. The Greybull River joins the Bighorn River at Greybull, and about 30 miles north of there, the river reaches Bighorn Lake, formed by the Yellowtail Dam on the Wyoming-Montana border. The river then flows northeast through the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, flowing approximately 90 miles to join the Yellowstone River at Bighorn, Montana.
The river was named in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque after the bighorn sheep he observed along the Yellowstone River. European explorers in the south (Wyoming) called the upper reaches the Wind River, while the lower reaches in Montana became known as the Bighorn River. Only later was it recognized that they were the same river, and the name change was established at the "Wedding of the Waters."
In the Apsáalooke (Crow) language, the river is called "Iisaxpúatahcheeaashisee" (Great Bighorn Sheep River), and in the Gros Ventre language, "ʔɔ́tééíníícááh" (Wild Sheep River).
The Bighorn Basin and the Wind River Basin were originally inhabited by the Eastern Shoshone and Crow peoples. The first documented European in the region was John Colter (1807), who explored the area for the fur trade. Later, the area was settled by ranchers, and the river played an important role in irrigation and agriculture.
The river has an average flow of about 18,365 cubic feet per second (cfs), with peaks reaching 66,500 cfs (e.g., in June 2023). The current flow is about 14,020 cfs, which is about 76% of the average.
The Boysen Dam (built in 1952) in Wind River Canyon and the Yellowtail Dam (built in 1967) on the Wyoming-Montana border regulate the river. The Yellowtail Dam creates Bighorn Lake, which is used for power generation, flood control, and irrigation. Large irrigation projects exist in Riverton, Wyoming, and Bighorn, Montana.
The Bighorn River is a world-renowned "blue ribbon" trout river, especially below Yellowtail Dam, where the cold, clear water provides ideal conditions for rainbow and brown trout (5,000–6,000 trout per mile). The section near Fort Smith, Montana, is especially popular with anglers, while the upper section near Thermopolis is known for its slow, fish-rich sections.
The river flows through impressive landscapes, including the steep-sided Wind River Canyon and the Bighorn Basin, a high plateau between the Big Horn Mountains to the east and the Absaroka Range to the west. Montana's Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers spectacular views and recreational opportunities.
In addition to fishing, the river is suitable for rafting, kayaking, and other water sports, especially in the upper section (Class I-II). However, access is restricted by Crow Reservation land and private properties, with public access points such as Afterbay Dam, Lind Ranch, and Bighorn Access.
The Wind/Bighorn River is a river with two names, distinguished by its unique geography, historical significance, and ecological diversity. From its wild upper reaches in the Rocky Mountains to its tranquil lower reaches in Montana, it is a central element of the region, both for nature and for the people who depend on it.
