Wind River Range - Definition and Overview

The Wind River Range is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States

The Wind River Range is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughtly NW-SE for approximately 120 mi (190 km), with the central ridge forming a section of the continental divide. The range contains Gannett Peak (13,804 ft/4,207 m), the highest point in Wyoming. Several major rivers finding their headwaters on either side of the range,. The Green and Big Sandy rivers drain southward from the west side of the range, while the Wind River drains eastward through the Shoshone Basin.

The range sits astride many of the historical migration routes in the United States and contains several important passes, notably South Pass, (elev. 7,412 ft/2,301 m), at the south end of the range, which was the most important pass on the Oregon Trail as it passed through the Rockies.

For more information on the Wind River Range visit http://www.visitsublettecounty.com/destinations/windriverrange.htm.