| Hoback River | |
|---|---|
The river near Hoback Junction |
|
| Origin | Hoback Peak at [1] |
| Mouth | Snake River at [1] |
| Progression | North-east then north-west |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Length | 55 miles (89 km) |
| Mouth elevation | 5,896 feet (1,797 m) |
| Basin area | 600 square miles (1,600 km2) |
The Hoback River, also called the Fall River, is an approximately 55-mile (89 km)-long tributary of the Snake River in the U.S. state of Wyoming. It rises in the southern Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and flows northeast through the Teton National Forest, before turning northwest to join the Snake just downstream of Jackson Hole, near the head of the Snake River Canyon and near the town of Hoback. The largest tributary of the Hoback River is its South Fork, which joins it near the town of Bondurant, where the river spreads onto a large marshy flat in a braided floodplain. However, most of the river flows through narrow valleys and in its lower course, steep mountain canyons.[2] The entire length of the Hoback is free flowing and unobstructed by dams. About 30 miles (48 km) downstream from the confluence with the Hoback River, the Snake River crosses into the state of Idaho and is impounded by Palisades Dam.[3]
The river is named after John Hoback, an explorer who traveled with the Astor Expedition from the Snake River, using the Hoback River as a passage to the Green River, a tributary of the Colorado River.[4]