Laramie River

Laramie River
The Laramie River, as it flows past the site of old Fort Laramie
Map highlighting the Laramie River (in bright blue, below and slightly left of center)
EtymologyNamed for Jacques La Ramie, French Canadian fur trapper[1]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado, Wyoming
CitiesLaramie, Wheatland, Fort Laramie
Physical characteristics
SourceChambers Lake (Colorado)
 • locationLarimer County, Colorado
 • coordinates40°36′56″N 105°51′29″W / 40.61556°N 105.85806°W / 40.61556; -105.85806
 • elevation9,192 ft (2,802 m)[2]
MouthNorth Platte River
 • location
Goshen County, Wyoming
 • coordinates
42°11′59″N 104°31′47″W / 42.19972°N 104.52972°W / 42.19972; -104.52972[3]
 • elevation
4,213 ft (1,284 m)[3]
Length280 mi (450 km)
Basin size4,564 sq mi (11,820 km2)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationnear Fort Laramie, 0.6 miles (1.0 km) from mouth[4]
 • average129 cu ft/s (3.7 m3/s)[4]
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum6,260 cu ft/s (177 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftNorth Laramie River
 • rightChugwater Creek

The Laramie River is a tributary of the North Platte River, approximately 280 miles (450 km) long,[5] in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The river was named for Jacques La Ramie, a fur trapper who visited the area in the early 19th century. Laramie County, Wyoming, the city of Laramie, and other geographical entities in the region have "Laramie" in their names.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Story Idea, Name Origins: Cheyenne & Laramie County". Visit Cheyenne. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. ^ a b "Laramie River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. October 13, 1978. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Water-Data Report 2011: 06670500 Laramie River near Fort Laramie, WY" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 21, 2011