Yellowstone River

The Yellowstone River is a very long river.

It sits in the Western United States. The river starts in the high mountains. It flows through Yellowstone National Park.

It goes past many big hills and valleys. The river flows into the Missouri River.

Many people like to go fishing there. It is a very special place to visit.

The Yellowstone River is a very long river.

It is in the Western United States. The river starts in the mountains of Wyoming. It flows north through Yellowstone National Park.

In the park, the water drops over big waterfalls. It flows through a place called the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Then, the river moves into Montana.

It flows through wide valleys and past the city of Billings. Many rivers flow into it along the way. The Yellowstone River ends when it joins the Missouri River. Many people visit the river to go fly fishing.

In the past, people used riverboats to travel here. Long ago, many Native American tribes used the land for hunting. Today, the river is still a very important part of the land. It helps farmers water their crops. It is a place where people go to see nature.

The Yellowstone River is a major river in the Western United States. It is a large part of the Missouri River system. The river begins in the mountains of northwestern Wyoming. It starts where the North Fork and South Fork meet. The North Fork flows from Younts Peak. The South Fork flows from the slopes of Thorofare Mountain. The river flows through many different types of land. It moves from high mountains down to the flat plains.

Water moves through the river in a very interesting way. It flows north through Yellowstone National Park first. It drains Yellowstone Lake and drops over two big waterfalls. These are the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls. The water then moves through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

After that, it passes through the Black Canyon. The river then enters Montana through the Paradise Valley.

It flows past the city of Billings. Along the way, rivers like the Bighorn and Tongue join it. Finally, it meets the Missouri River in North Dakota.

Many different people have given the river names over time. The Minnetaree name means "Yellow Rock River." French trappers called it Roche Jaune. The Cheyenne people called it the Yellow Rocks River. In 1805, Lewis and Clark recorded the English name. In 1806, William Clark explored the river. He even gave a name to the Clark's Fork. Later, a captain named Grant Marsh named many landmarks. He named places like Chimney Rock and Diamond Island. He named others after his friends or family members.

History shows that the river was a busy place. Native American tribes like the Crow and Sioux hunted here. In the 1860s, gold was found in Montana. This brought many people to the area using trails. Later, settlers used riverboats to travel the water. This time was often difficult for Native American tribes. There were many conflicts over the land and resources. Eventually, the Northern Pacific Railroad was built near the river in 1883.

Today, the Yellowstone River is used in many ways. People love to go fly fishing in its upper parts.

Farmers and ranchers use the water for their crops. They use six small diversion dams to move the water. There are also five large reservoirs on its smaller rivers. The river is a very important part of the landscape. It connects the high mountains to the wide plains. It remains a place where people go to see nature.

The Yellowstone River is a major tributary of the Missouri River. It is located in the Western United States. This river serves as the principal tributary for the upper Missouri River. It drains a massive area through its own network of smaller rivers. These headwaters begin in the mountains and high plains of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. The river flows northeast toward the North Dakota border. It eventually meets the Missouri River west of the city of Williston.

The river's journey begins in the Absaroka Range of northwestern Wyoming. It sits on the Continental Divide in southwestern Park County. The river forms where the North Fork and the South Fork converge. The North Fork is the larger of these two branches. It flows from Younts Peak. The South Fork starts on the southern slopes of Thorofare Mountain. From here, the water flows north through Yellowstone National Park. It drains Yellowstone Lake and drops over the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls. These falls sit at the head of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

After leaving the Grand Canyon, the river enters the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone. It then moves north into Montana. The river travels through the Paradise Valley between the northern Absaroka Range and the Gallatin Range.

Near the town of Livingston, the river turns east and northeast. It crosses the northern Great Plains and passes the city of Billings. Several rivers join the mainstem along this route. The Bighorn River joins it east of Billings. The Tongue River joins near Miles City. Finally, the Powder River joins in eastern Montana. The river ends at its confluence with the Missouri River near Buford, North Dakota.

Many different names have described this river throughout history. The Minnetaree name, Mi tse a-da-zi, means "Yellow Rock River." Some believe this refers to yellow rocks in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Others suggest it refers to yellow sandstone bluffs on the lower river. The Cheyenne people called it Mo'éheo'hé'e, or Yellow Rocks River. The Crow people called it E-chee-dik-karsh-ah-shay, meaning Elk River. French trappers used the name Roche Jaune. In 1805, Lewis and Clark recorded the English translation. In 1806, William Clark explored the river and named the Clark's Fork. Later, Captain Grant Marsh named many landmarks during an 1873 expedition. He named places like Chimney Rock and Diamond Island. He also named islands after his family and friends.

The Yellowstone River has a complex history of human activity. Native American tribes like the Lakota Sioux, Crow, and Cheyenne used the region for summer hunting. In the 1860s, gold was discovered near Virginia City, Montana. This led to the use of the Bozeman and Bridger Trails. European-American settlers later used riverboats for transportation. This expansion led to conflicts such as Red Cloud's War and the Great Sioux War. The Battle of the Little Bighorn also took place near the river. By 1883, the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed. This provided rail service along the river to the north entrance of the park.

The river's water is managed for many different purposes. In Montana, the water has been used for irrigation since the 1860s. There are no storage dams on the mainstem of the Yellowstone River. However, there are six low-head diversion dams. These dams supply water to irrigation canals for farmers and ranchers. These include the Huntley Diversion Dam and the Waco Diversion Dam. The watershed also contains five major reservoirs on its tributaries. These are the Boysen, Buffalo Bill, Big Horn, Tongue River, and Lake De Smet reservoirs.

Today, the river is important for recreation and the environment. In its upper reaches, it is a popular place for fly fishing.

The river is classified as a Class I river for stream access in certain areas. However, the river has also faced environmental challenges. In July 2011, an ExxonMobil pipeline ruptured west of Billings. This spill leaked about 1,500 barrels of oil into the river. The leak lasted for 56 minutes before it was shut down. This event required officials to evacuate people in Laurel, Montana. The river remains a vital part of the Western United States landscape.