The Madison River is a headwater
tributary
A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...
of the
Missouri River
The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
, approximately long, in
Wyoming
Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
and
Montana
Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
. Its
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel (geography), channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main ...
with the
Jefferson and
Gallatin rivers near
Three Forks, Montana forms the Missouri River.
Course
The Madison River begins in
Teton County, Wyoming at the confluence of the
Firehole and
Gibbon rivers in
Yellowstone National Park, a location known as Madison Junction. It flows west out of the park and into Montana, turning north through the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Montana to join the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers at Three Forks. The
Missouri River Headwaters State Park lies at this confluence.
Dams and Lakes
In its upper reaches in
Gallatin County, Montana, the
Hebgen Dam forms
Hebgen Lake. Downstream of Hebgen Dam, the
1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake led to the formation of
Quake Lake, a naturally dammed body of water that remains part of the river’s hydrology. In its middle course, the Madison Dam in
Madison County, Montana creates
Ennis Lake. These reservoirs and lakes regulate flow, support recreation, and are associated with hydroelectric power infrastructure (see
Natural Resources).
History
The river was named in July 1805 by
Meriwether Lewis at Three Forks. The central fork of the three, it was named for U.S. Secretary of State
James Madison, who later succeeded
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
as
President in 1809. The western fork, the largest, was named for President Jefferson and the east fork for Treasury Secretary
Albert Gallatin.
On August 17, 1959, a massive earthquake near
Hebgen Lake triggered a landslide that blocked the Madison River, forming Quake Lake. The quake, known as the
1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake, measured 7.3 to 7.5 on the Richter scale and caused significant loss of life and property damage in the area.
Recreation
The Madison is a class I river in Montana for the purposes of
access for recreational use.
The Bear Trap Canyon section downstream from
Ennis and
Ennis Lake is known for its
class IV–V whitewater
Whitewater forms in the context of rapids, in particular, when a river's Stream gradient, gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that foam, froths, making t ...
, drawing experienced paddlers during seasonal flows.
Ecology
The Madison River is widely regarded as one of the finest trout fisheries in the world. It is classified as a
blue ribbon fishery in Montana, where
fly fisherman target
brown trout,
rainbow trout
The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributary, tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The steelhead (sometimes called steelhead trout) is an Fish migration#Classification, ...
,
cutthroat trout, and
mountain whitefish.
[
]
Grizzly bears and
wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park roam the river valley.
Fish Species
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Madison River supports many fish species, reflecting its varied aquatic habitats and long history of fisheries management.
Both coldwater and warmwater species are present, including several native salmonids such as Arctic grayling, mountain whitefish, and westslope cutthroat trout. Introduced species like brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout are also well established and widely targeted by anglers. In addition to trout, the river sustains native suckers, minnows, and sculpin, contributing to the ecological complexity of the watershed. The following table provides an overview of representative fish species recorded in the Madison River.
See also
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Angling in Yellowstone National Park
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Fishes of Yellowstone National Park
*
Montana Stream Access Law
*
List of rivers of Montana
*
List of Wyoming rivers
References
Sources
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External links
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Rivers of Montana
Rivers of Wyoming
Rivers of Yellowstone National Park
Tributaries of the Missouri River
Rivers of Park County, Wyoming
Rivers of Gallatin County, Montana
Bodies of water of Madison County, Montana