River · United States
Snake River
The Snake River is the largest tributary of the Columbia River in the western United States. It begins in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, crosses Idaho in a wide curve and joins the Columbia in Washington.
Picture credit: JF Hobbs (CC BY 3.0) · JF Hobbs (CC BY 3.0) · JF Hobbs (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Snake River?
The river starts here: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
It ends in the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities, Washington.
Countries on the river: the United States.
The story behind it
The Snake River starts high up in Yellowstone and flows through the valley of Jackson Hole, in front of the jagged Teton Range. In Idaho farmers near Idaho Falls grow the famous russet potatoes in the sandy soil. At Shoshone Falls the river plunges 65 metres; in spring it roars so strongly that writers once called it the ‘Niagara of the West’. Later the Snake forms the border between Idaho and Oregon and cuts through Hells Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in North America, even deeper than the Grand Canyon. Sockeye salmon swim about 1 400 km up the Snake and Salmon rivers to Redfish Lake in Idaho, the longest sockeye journey in the world. Since many dams were built, far fewer salmon come back. In 1805 the explorers Lewis and Clark reached the river and camped with the Nez Perce people.
Questions children ask
How long is the Snake River?
The Snake River is about 1 740 km long. Depending on the measurement, sources give lengths between about 1 670 and 1 740 km.
Which states does the Snake River flow through?
The Snake River flows through Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. For a long stretch it forms the border between Idaho and Oregon, and later between Idaho and Washington.
What are Shoshone Falls?
Shoshone Falls is the biggest single drop on the Snake River: the water falls 65 metres. In spring it flows with such force that it was called the ‘Niagara of the West’.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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