Snake River

When it comes to western rivers, few rivers boast more superlatives than the Snake. At 1,056 miles, the Snake River is the tenth longest river in the United States and the longest river in Wyoming. In the west, only the Columbia River carries more water. From its headwaters along the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park to its confluence with the Columbia River, the Snake drops 9,500 vertical feet. At Hells Canyon along the Idaho/Oregon border, the Snake carves the deepest gorge in North America.

While the Snake is peppered with dams and reservoirs along its middle and lower reaches, the upper Snake River upstream of Idaho Falls, Idaho maintains much of its free-flowing character. Where it flows through Jackson Hole, the Snake River corridor is home to the richest high elevation riparian habitat in the country. Not only is this reach of the Snake home to one of the most productive wildlife habitats in the Northern Rockies, but it is also home to the only native cutthroat trout subspecies (Snake River finespotted cutthroat) in the inland west that still completely dominates its historic range. GYC and its conservation partners have formed the Campaign for the Snake Headwaters (www.snakeheadwaters.org) to permanently protect this rare treasure. The goal of this campaign is to include more than 500 miles of the Snake River and its tributaries in Wyoming in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Below Palisades Dam in eastern Idaho, the South Fork Snake River corridor is home to the richest fish and wildlife habitat in Idaho and one of the largest intact riparian cottonwood forests left in the west. Over 260 wildlife species have been documented here, including bald eagles, osprey, moose, river otters and black bears. Due to its abundant fish and wildlife, spectacular scenery, and world-class flyfishing, the South Fork has been experiencing unprecedented development along its banks over the past decade. GYC is working with local citizens to ensure this development does not degrade the South Fork’s water quality or impede its ability to access its floodplain.

FISHING REPORTS		STREAM FLOWS

What is Greater Yellowstone Coalition doing to protect the Snake River?

Campaign for the Snake Headwaters - The Campaign For the Snake Headwaters – better known by its acronym “C-Fish” – is a visionary effort led by local citizens, businesses, anglers, boaters and conservationists to permanently protect the best remaining free-flowing rivers and streams of northwest Wyoming’s Snake River drainage by including them in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Our primary goal is to convince Congress to pass Wild & Scenic rivers legislation for the Snake Headwaters by the end of 2006.

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Top Photo: Scott Bosse; Inset: Scott Bosse