Yellowstone National Park Rivers, Streams and Creeks

The Yellowstone River is the largest and thee major river of Yellowstone National Park. Its origin is just outside the southeast area of the park (northwestern Wyoming). The Yellowstone River starts where the Yellowstone North Fork and the Yellowstone South Fork converge. The North Fork and South Fork of the Yellowstone flow from two different drainages of Younts Peak. Thorofare Creek, which merges into the Yellowstone River, flows from the northern slopes of Thorofare Mountain. The Yellowstone River flows northward through Yellowstone National Park, feeding and draining Yellowstone Lake. Yellowstone Lake, is the largest lake in the park and the largest high alitude mountainous lake in North America. The Yellowstone flows from the lake north through the park to Livingston, Montana, and then northeast into western North Dakota where is joins the Missouri River. It is one of the major tributaries of the Missouri River. "The Yellowstone River, the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States [692 miles long], retains most of its natural habitat characteristics and flows" (Ryckman, 2000).

Confluence of the Yellowstone River and the Thorofare Creek

Confluence of the Yellowstone River and the Thorofare Creek

South Fork of the Yellowstone River

Other Major Rivers of Yellowstone National Park

This list includes the Bechler, Firehole, Gallatin, Gardner, Gibbon, Lamar, Lewis, Madison, and Snake Rivers.

The Firehole and Gibbon Rivers join in the park to form the Madison River. The Madison flows west and north and joins the Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers at Three Forks, Montana. These three rivers combine to become the headwaters of the Missouri River. The Missouri River flows east into the Mississippi which flows into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.

The Gardner and Lamar Rivers flow into the Yellowstone River in the park. The Yellowstone flows north and east into the Missouri River which flows into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.

The Lewis River flows into the Snake River. The Bechler River flows southwest into the Falls River which flows west into the Henrys Fork of the Snake River and Snake River flows south and west into the Pacific.

Other smaller rivers are: Falls, Heart, Little Firehole, and Little Lamar.

Yellowstone National Park Creeks

Information provided by USGS, the NPS, and the book: "Freshwater Wilderness - Yellowstone Fishes & Their World" by John D. Varley and Paul Schullery.

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by John William Uhler

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