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2015 Map of Wedding of the Waters

Name: 2015 Topographic Map of Wedding of the Waters
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2015
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2015

About this map

Wedding of the Waters marks a significant hydrologic transition point where the southward-flowing Wind River is renamed the Bighorn River as it enters the canyon. This 2015 survey illustrates the complex topography of Hot Springs County, where the settlement of Minnesela sits near the river’s bend. The landscape is defined by deep incisions such as Black Canyon, Teeter Canyon, and Deer Canyon, which funnel drainage from the surrounding high ground toward the central river valley.

Transportation through this difficult terrain is anchored by corridors like S Yellowstone Rd CR-31 and the crossing at Fourmile Bridge. The map details numerous named drainages, including Bobcat Draw and Johnson Draw, which intersect with the dramatic elevation changes at Windy Point. For researchers, the proximity of Wind River Canyon Spring to the river's namesake transition provides a clear view of the natural features that historically governed movement through this corridor.