Fall River (Wyoming, Idaho)
Encyclopedia
Fall River rises on the Madison and Pitchstone plateaus in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park
, Wyoming and flows approximately 64 miles (103 km) to its confluence with the Henrys Fork of the Snake River
near Ashton, Idaho
. Historically, the river was referred to as the Middle Fork of the Snake River or as Fall River or the Falls River by trappers and prospectors as early as the 1830s. It was officially named the Falls River by the 1872 Hayden
Geological Survey, but was always called Fall River by the locals and so the U.S. Board on Geographic Names changed the official name to Fall River in 1997 at the request of Idaho authorities. The river is home to numerous waterfalls and cascades in its upper reaches.
and a few rainbow trout
and brook trout
. Because of spring runoff, the river is generally not fishable until mid-July and access is difficult. Within the park, the upper section of the river is accessible via the Grassy Lake Road, which starts near the south entrance to the park, while the lower sections are accessible via the Cave Falls Road in Idaho. Once the Fall River leaves the park it is accessible in a variety of locations via Idaho county roads.
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...
, Wyoming and flows approximately 64 miles (103 km) to its confluence with the Henrys Fork of the Snake 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...
near Ashton, Idaho
Ashton, Idaho
Ashton is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Rexburg, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,129 at the 2000 census. The district is noted for seed potato production and bills itself as the world's largest seed potato growing area.-Geography and...
. Historically, the river was referred to as the Middle Fork of the Snake River or as Fall River or the Falls River by trappers and prospectors as early as the 1830s. It was officially named the Falls River by the 1872 Hayden
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden
Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden was an American geologist noted for his pioneering surveying expeditions of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century. He was also a physician who served with the Union Army during the Civil War.-Early life:Ferdinand Hayden was born in Westfield, Massachusetts...
Geological Survey, but was always called Fall River by the locals and so the U.S. Board on Geographic Names changed the official name to Fall River in 1997 at the request of Idaho authorities. The river is home to numerous waterfalls and cascades in its upper reaches.
Waterfalls
The Fall River is located in the remote "Cascade Corner" of the park, a name given to the southwest section of the park by then-superintendent Horace Albright in 1921 for the proliferation of waterfalls and cascades in the Fall and Bechler River drainages. Several major Yellowstone waterfalls exist in the Fall River watershed:- Cave Falls, 20 feet (6.1 m),44°08′41"N 110°59′50"W
- Terraced Falls, 130 feet (39.6 m), 44°08′50"N 110°51′51"W
- Union FallsUnion FallsUnion Falls ht. is a waterfall on Mountain Ash Creek, a tributary of the Fall River in the Cascade Corner of Yellowstone National Park. It is the second highest waterfall in Yellowstone exceeded in height only by the lower Yellowstone Falls. The falls got its name from members of the Arnold...
, 250 feet (76.2 m), 44°11′34"N 110°52′15"W
Angling
Although the Fall River is in the remote Cascade Corner of the park, it is popular with local anglers. It holds mostly cutthroat troutCutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
and a few rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
. Because of spring runoff, the river is generally not fishable until mid-July and access is difficult. Within the park, the upper section of the river is accessible via the Grassy Lake Road, which starts near the south entrance to the park, while the lower sections are accessible via the Cave Falls Road in Idaho. Once the Fall River leaves the park it is accessible in a variety of locations via Idaho county roads.