Wind River, Brooks Range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA

Wind River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA

Today's image features the Wind River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, United States. This 136-kilometre long river flows from the Philip Smith Mountains to the East Fork of the Chandalar River, winding through a valley filled with lakes and wetlands. The river begins its journey at Wind River Lake, in the Rocky Mountains near the peak of Togwotee Pass. As it flows through the rugged landscape, it collects water from various forks along the northeastern slopes of the Wind River Range in west-central Wyoming.

Part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, this river valley is a bustling habitat for Dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bears. Heading north, the river carves through a gap in the Owl Creek Mountains, where it transitions into the Bighorn River. Along its path through the mountains, the river is dammed to create the Boysen Reservoir. The transformation from Wind River to Bighorn River is marked at the scenic Wedding of the Waters, just beyond the northern edge of the Wind River Canyon.