Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge protects 26,400 acres along the Green River in western Wyoming, preserving vital river habitat in an otherwise dry landscape. Named from a Shoshone word meaning “river of the prairie hen,” the area had been inhabited by Shoshone people since about 1300 and was crossed by white explorers in 1811. Later it became a crossroads for the Oregon and Mormon Trails, with some wagon tracks still visible. Established in 1965 to offset habitat losses from Fontenelle and Flaming Gorge dams, the refuge now shelters 36 miles of river supporting abundant wildlife, including more than 220 bird species, many mammals, and several trout species.