Judith River
Encyclopedia
The Judith River is a tributary
of the Missouri River
, approximately 124 mi (200 km) long, running through central Montana
and the United States
. It rises in the Little Belt Mountains
and flows northeast past Utica and Hobson
. It is joined by Dry Wolf Creek in northern Fergus County
, and itself joins the Missouri in the White Cliffs Area approximately 18 mi (29 km) northwest of Winifred
.
The river gives its name to the Judith River Group
of the late Cretaceous
, a notable area for excavation of dinosaur
fossils that stretches from Montana into southeastern Alberta
and southwestern Saskatchewan
. The river was named by William Clark. William Clark came across a stream which he considered particularly clear and pretty, and named it the Judith River, in honor of a young girl back in Virginia he hoped would marry him some day. (In fact, ultimately she did; their grandson, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., was a Colonel in the U.S. Army and later a founder, with his extended family, of the Kentucky Derby
.)
It is also known for its large amount of Cretaceous fossils, including Tyrannosaurus, Styracosaurus and Edmontosaurus.
The Judith is a Class I river from the confluence with Big Spring Creek to its confluence with the Missouri River for public access for recreational purposes.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, approximately 124 mi (200 km) long, running through central Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and 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 Little Belt Mountains
Little Belt Mountains
The Little Belt Mountains are a section of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. state of Montana. Situated mainly in the Lewis and Clark National Forest, the mountains are used for logging and recreation for the residents of Great Falls, Montana...
and flows northeast past Utica and Hobson
Hobson, Montana
Hobson is a city in Judith Basin County, Montana, United States. The population was 244 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hobson is located at ....
. It is joined by Dry Wolf Creek in northern Fergus County
Fergus County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge * Lewis and Clark National Forest * Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument -Demographics:...
, and itself joins the Missouri in the White Cliffs Area approximately 18 mi (29 km) northwest of Winifred
Winifred, Montana
Winifred is a town in north-central Fergus County, Montana, United States. The population was 156 at the 2000 census. Winifred was founded in 1913 as the terminus of a newly-built branch line of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad...
.
The river gives its name to the Judith River Group
Judith River Group
The Judith River Group is a group of geologic formations in western North America dating from the late Cretaceous and noted as a site for the extensive excavation of dinosaur fossils. The formation is named after the Judith River in Montana. The group is also called the Judith River Wedge...
of the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
, a notable area for excavation of dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
fossils that stretches from Montana into southeastern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and southwestern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. The river was named by William Clark. William Clark came across a stream which he considered particularly clear and pretty, and named it the Judith River, in honor of a young girl back in Virginia he hoped would marry him some day. (In fact, ultimately she did; their grandson, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., was a Colonel in the U.S. Army and later a founder, with his extended family, of the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
.)
It is also known for its large amount of Cretaceous fossils, including Tyrannosaurus, Styracosaurus and Edmontosaurus.
The Judith is a Class I river from the confluence with Big Spring Creek to its confluence with the Missouri River for public access for recreational purposes.
History
The Crow tribe called this waterway Buluhpa’ashe, “Plum river.” Capt. Meriwether Lewis named this central Montana river the Bighorn. On May 20, 1805, Capt. William Clark renamed it in honor of his future wife, Julia (Judith) Hancock. Beginning in the 1880s, the area surrounding the Judith River at Judith Landing was home to 2 large ranching operations: the DHS Ranch of A. J. and Erwin Davis, Samuel T. Hauser, and Granville Stuart; and the PN Ranch of Thomas C. Power and G. R. Norris.See also
- List of rivers of Montana
- Montana Stream Access LawMontana Stream Access LawThe Montana Stream Access Law says that anglers, floaters and other recreationists in Montana have full use of most natural waterways between the high water marks for fishing and floating, along with swimming and other river or stream-related activities...
- Upper Missouri River National Monument