Wind River Range. The Wind River Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States.
The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 100 mi. The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,802 ft, is the highest peak in Wyoming; and also Fremont Peak at 13,750 ft, the third highest peak in Wyoming. There are more than 40 other named peaks in excess of 12,999 ft. With the exception of the Grand Teton in the Teton Range, the next 19 highest peaks in Wyoming after Gannett are also in the Winds.
Two large national forests including three wilderness areas encompass most of the mountain range. Shoshone National Forest is on the eastern side of the continental divide while Bridger-Teton National Forest is on the west.
Both national forests and the entire mountain range are an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Portions of the east side of the range are inside the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, such as the Shoshones and Absarokas Native Americans, lived in the range beginning 7000 and 9000 years ago. Villages as high as 10,000 ft in elevation, dating from 700 to 2000 BC, have recently been studied by archaeologists. These villages were established by the Sheepeater band of Shoshone during pine nut harvesting season. One, dubbed High Rise, has 60 lodges over a space of
The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 100 mi. The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,802 ft, is the highest peak in Wyoming; and also Fremont Peak at 13,750 ft, the third highest peak in Wyoming. There are more than 40 other named peaks in excess of 12,999 ft. With the exception of the Grand Teton in the Teton Range, the next 19 highest peaks in Wyoming after Gannett are also in the Winds.
Two large national forests including three wilderness areas encompass most of the mountain range. Shoshone National Forest is on the eastern side of the continental divide while Bridger-Teton National Forest is on the west.
Both national forests and the entire mountain range are an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Portions of the east side of the range are inside the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, such as the Shoshones and Absarokas Native Americans, lived in the range beginning 7000 and 9000 years ago. Villages as high as 10,000 ft in elevation, dating from 700 to 2000 BC, have recently been studied by archaeologists. These villages were established by the Sheepeater band of Shoshone during pine nut harvesting season. One, dubbed High Rise, has 60 lodges over a space of
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