Madison River
 |
The Madison River |
The
Madison River is a tributary of the
Missouri River, approximately 183 miles (295 km) long, in the
U.S. states of
Wyoming and
Montana. It is one of three rivers, along with the
Jefferson and
Gallatin, that converge near
Three Forks, Montana to form the Missouri.
It rises in
Yellowstone National Park in
Park County in northwestern Wyoming. It flows west then north through the mountains of southwestern Montana to join the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers at Three Forks. In its upper reaches in
Gallatin County, Montana, the Hebgen Dam forms
Hebgen Lake. In its middle reaches in
Madison County, Montana, the Madison Dam forms
Ennis Lake and provides
hydroelectric power. In 1959, an
earthquake formed
Quake Lake just downstream from Hebgen Dam.
The river was named by
Lewis and Clark in July 1805, for US Secretary of State
James Madison.
*
List of Wyoming rivers*
List of Montana rivers
