| Judith River | |
|---|---|
 Judith River near Hanover Road | |
 The Judith River | |
| Location | |
| Country | Fergus and Judith Basin County, Montana |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 46°50′32.7″N 110°30′23.3″W / 46.842417°N 110.506472°W[1] |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 47°44′06″N 109°38′46″W / 47.73500°N 109.64611°W[1] |
• elevation | 2,408 feet (734 m)[1] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | near mouth, (near Winifred) |
| • average | 292 cu ft/s (8.3 m3/s)[2] |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Missouri River |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Big Spring Creek |
The Judith River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 124 mi (200 km) long, running through central Montana in the United States. It rises in the Little Belt Mountains and flows northeast past Utica and Hobson. It is joined by Dry Wolf Creek in northern Fergus County, and itself joins the Missouri in the White Cliffs Area approximately 18 mi (29 km) northwest of Winifred.
The river gives its name to the Judith River Group of the late Cretaceous, a notable area for excavation of dinosaur fossils that stretches from Montana into southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. The river was named by William Clark. William Clark came across a stream which he considered particularly clear and pretty, and named it the Judith River, in honor of his cousin Julia Hancock. It is also known for its large amount of Cretaceous dinosaur fossils, including those of Tyrannosaurus, Styracosaurus and Edmontosaurus.
The Judith is a Class I river from the confluence with Big Spring Creek to its confluence with the Missouri River for public access for recreational purposes.[3]