The
Wind River Basin lies in west central Wyoming. The land is young, geologically, and prominent mountains and plains comprise the landscape. The unique shape of the land can be held accountable to earthquakes, wind, erosion, and volcanic and glacial activity. The
Wind River Mountains are the western boundary, and the Owl Mountain Range and
Absaroka-Beartooth Mountain Range dominate the north side. The south side is made up of the
Red Desert of the Great Divide Basin. The east border is simply the Great Plains.
Many different people have inhabited this land, including the Shoshone and Arapaho Indians. Chief Washakie was a highly respected negotiator of the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Said to be straight in the heart of Wyoming, the Wind River Basin is a center point for the Bureau of Land Management areas that surround it, including the Lysite Badlands and Dubois Badlands, as well as Copper, Whiskey, Lysite, and Fuller peaks.
