The John Day River supports a diverse community of aquatic and terrestrial life and is the longest free-flowing river west of the Rocky Mountains, flowing over 280 miles to its mouth at the Columbia River. Made up of four branches, the John Day River Basin carries water out of the Blue Mountains and sustains orchards, crops, livestock, and human communities. Plateau Indian fishing traditions are intertwined with the river, recalling a time when it was named the Hah-Hah. Most of the river has been designated a National Wild and Scenic River for its outstanding natural and cultural values. The river was later named for John Day, a fur trapper from Virginia who sought opportunities in Oregon in the early 1800s. While traveling to Astoria, John Day and a companion were confronted by American Indians at the river's mouth and were stripped of their possessions, including their clothes, but still managed to reach help. Oregon Trail travelers along the Columbia River later pointed out the site of that incident, and the river was renamed accordingly.