The Madison River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 mi (295 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. It is one of three rivers, along with the Jefferson and Gallatin, that converge near Three Forks, Montana to form the Missouri.
It rises in Yellowstone National Park in Park County in northwestern Wyoming. It flows west then north through the mountains of southwestern Montana to join the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers at Three Forks. In its upper reaches in Gallatin County, Montana, the Hebgen Dam forms Hebgen Lake. In its middle reaches in Madison County, Montana, the Madison Dam forms Ennis Lake and provides hydroelectric power. In 1959, an earthquake formed Quake Lake just downstream from Hebgen Dam.
The headwaters of the Missouri are in the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Montana, near the continental divide.
During the 18th century, the river was used by fur traders under the flags of Spain and France.
The entire Missouri River watershed was acquired from the French by the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase and explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which successfully used the river in exploring for a route to the Pacific Ocean.
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