The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately 300 miles (480 km), it is the longest river in the arid Great Basin of North America. It has no outlet to the ocean, but empties into the Humboldt Sink. Through its tributaries the river drains most of sparsely populated northern Nevada, traversing the state roughly east to west, and passing through repeated gaps in the north-to-south running mountain ranges. It furnishes the only natural artery across the Great Basin, and has provided the historical route for westward migration, railroads, and modern highways. The river is named for the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange Various Definitions of the Great Basin (NPS) The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The Humboldt Sink is an intermittent dry lake bed, approximately 11 mi (18 km) and 4 mi (6 km) across, in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ... Main route of California Trail (thick red line), including Applegate-Lassen and Beckwourth variations (thinner red lines) The California Trail was a major overland emigrant route across the Western United States from Missouri to California in the middle 19th century. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Route across the United States Interstate 80 (abbreviated I-80) is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States. ... An 1859 portrait of Alexander von Humboldt by the artist Julius Schrader, showing Mount Chimborazo in the background. ...

Description

The source of the river is a spring called Humboldt Wells at the northern tip of the East Humboldt Range, just outside the city of Wells. It flows west-southwest through Elko County past the community of Elko. In northern Eureka County it passes along the south end of the Tuscarora Mountains, and then along the north end of the Shoshone Range. At Battle Mountain it turns northwest for approximately 50 miles (80 km), then west at Red House and past Golconda and a spur of the Sonoma Range, then turns southwest, flowing past Winnemuca and through Pershing County, along the western side of the Humboldt Range and the West Humboldt Range. It empties into an intermittent lake in the Humboldt Sink on the border between Pershing and Churchill counties, approximately 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Lovelock. It is very arid in the area. The East Humboldt Range is a mountain range of the Great Basin in northeastern Nevada in the United States. ... Wells, Nevada Wells is a city located in Elko County, Nevada. ... Elko County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ... Elko, Nevada Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. ... Eureka County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ... Battle Mountain, Nevada. ... Golconda is a town in the state of Nevada, USA. Its located in Humboldt County along Interstate 80 in the northwestern part of the state, just east of the city of Winnemucca. ... The Sonoma Range is a small mountain range in northwest Nevada, USA, lying just south of the Humboldt River between Winnemucca and Golconda. ... Winnemucca cemetery with a sign reading: Welcome to Winnemucca, Proud of it! Winnemucca is the county seat of Humboldt County, Nevada and the site of a September 19, 1900 bank robbery by the Wild Bunch. ... Pershing County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ... The West Humboldt Range is a short mountain range in the western Great Basin in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ... The Humboldt Sink is an intermittent dry lake bed, approximately 11 mi (18 km) and 4 mi (6 km) across, in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ... Pershing County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ... Churchill County is a county located in the southwestern U.S. state of Nevada. ... Lovelock, Nevada. ...

It receives the North Fork of the Humboldt River in Elko County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) upstream from Elko, and the South Fork approximately 7 miles (11 km) downstream. It merges with the Reese River near Battle Mountain, and receives the Little Humboldt River approximately 5 miles (8 km) upstream from Winnemucca. It is impounded in central Pershing County by the Rye Patch Dam, forming the Rye Patch Reservoir. The North Fork of the Humboldt River has its origins on the north slopes of McAfee Peak in the Independence Mountains of northeastern Nevada. ... The South Fork of the Humboldt River has its origins in a fan-shaped group of canyons draining the western slopes of the Ruby Mountains in northeastern Nevada. ... The Reese River in its upper reaches The Reese River is a tributary of the Humboldt River, and is located in central Nevada in the United States. ... The Little Humboldt River is a tributary of the Humboldt River, approximately 60 mi (97 km) long, in northern Nevada in the United States. ... Rye Patch State Recreation Area is a state recreation area in Nevada. ... Rye Patch State Recreation Area is a state recreation area in Nevada. ...

The river is highly variable in flow, generally decreasing in volume downstream to the west, in part due to the removal of water from the river for irrigation.

History

The region of the river in northern Nevada was sparsely inhabited by the Paiute and Shoshone at the time of the arrival of European settlers. It was one of the last explored areas of North America, receiving little attention until the arrival of American fur trappers in the middle 19th century. Paiute women and children in Yosemite Valley 1891. ... Shoshone around their tipi, probably taken around 1890 Shoshone Indians at Ft. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the six inhabited continents of the Earth. ... An Alberta fur trader in the 1890s. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The first recorded sighting of the river was on November 9, 1828, by Peter Skene Ogden during his fifth expedition to the Snake Country. Odgen came southward along the Little Humboldt, encountering the main river at the confluence near Winnemucca. Ogden explored the river for several hundred miles, blazing a trail along it and making the first known map of the region. He initially named the river "Unknown River", due to the source and course of the river still being unknown to him, and later "Paul's River", after one of his trappers who died on the expedition and was buried on the river bank. He later changed it again to "Mary's River," named after the Native American wife of one of his trappers, which later somehow became "St. Mary's River". However in 1829 he suggested that "Swampy River" best described the course he had traversed.^[1] In 1833 the Bonneville-Walker fur party explored the river, naming it "Barren River". Washington Irving's 1837 book describing the Bonneville expedition called it "Ogden's River", the name used by many early travellers. By the early 1840s the trail along the river was being used by settlers going west to California. November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Peter Skene Ogden, alternately Skeene, Skein or Skeen (baptised 12 February 1790 – September 27, 1854) was a Canadian explorer of the American West. ... Perrine Bridge spanning the Snake River Canyon at Twin Falls, Idaho The Snake River is a river in the western part of the United States. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... Benjamin Bonneville Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville (April 14, 1796-1878) was a French-born officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West. ... Washington Irving (April 3, 1783–November 28, 1859) was an American author of the early 19th century. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

In 1848 it was explored by John C. Frémont, who made a thorough map of the region and gave the river its current name. The following year the river became the route of the California Trail, the primary land route for migrants to the California gold fields. In 1869 the river was used as part of the route of the Central Pacific segment of the Transcontinental Railroad. John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813 – July 13, 1890), born John Charles Fremon, was an American military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States, and the first Presidential candidate of a major party to... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Main route of California Trail (thick red line), including Applegate-Lassen and Beckwourth variations (thinner red lines) The California Trail was a major overland emigrant route across the Western United States from Missouri to California in the middle 19th century. ... The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) was the first world-class gold rush. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The Gov. ... Poster announcing railroads opening The First Transcontinental Railroad was a transcontinental railroad in North America that was finished in 1869. ...

In the 20th century, the valley of the river became the route for U.S. Highway 40, later replaced by Interstate 80. Most of the population of northern Nevada (outside of Washoe County) lives along the valley of the river today. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... United States Highway 40 is an east-west United States highway. ... Route across the United States Interstate 80 (abbreviated I-80) is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States. ... Washoe County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ...

Notes

See also

• List of Nevada rivers
• Sarah Winnemucca

This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of Nevada. ... Sarah Winnemucca (NSHC statue) Sarah Winnemucca (born Thocmentony, Paiute: Shell Flower) (ca. ...

External links

• Detailed history of the Humboldt River Valley (PDF)