The Wedding of the Waters was a special place to native Indians, mountain men, and early settlers, where the Wind River ends its journey after carving through rocks more than three billion years old and the Bighorn River begins. It is also a notable wildlife area, where warmer water released from the bottom of Boysen Reservoir, combined with warm thermal spring water downstream, keeps the river open all winter and supports luxuriant aquatic vegetation. Because of this open water and vegetation, waterfowl gather here by the thousands each winter, and the waterfowl and trout support bald eagles that winter in the area. Mammals found near the Wedding of the Waters include mule deer, marmots, and mink along the river's edge, while bighorn sheep historically used the rugged canyon slopes for winter range. Rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout, along with barbot and mountain whitefish, inhabit this stretch of the Bighorn River, creating a nationally famous blue-ribbon fishery, and fish on the upper river grow quickly because of abundant aquatic insects in the bottom vegetation. Just downstream, the nation's first handicap-accessible riverine boat ramp provides drift boat access to the Bighorn River.