Rock Creek (Clear Creek tributary) facts for kids

Rock Creek is a cool stream in the northeastern part of Wyoming, a state in the United States. It's a type of stream called a "freestone stream," which means its water flows freely over rocks and natural streambeds, not through dams or pipes.

Rock Creek is a smaller stream that flows into a bigger one called Clear Creek. Clear Creek then joins the Powder River. This whole system is like a network of waterways. The stream starts high up in the Bighorn Mountains.

About Rock Creek

Rock Creek is about 65 miles (105 kilometers) long. It flows through Johnson County, Wyoming. The stream ends when it flows into Clear Creek. This meeting point is just east of the city of Buffalo. It is also near the big highway called Interstate 90.

Where Rock Creek Starts

The source of Rock Creek is in an area known as the Rock Creek Roadless Area. This area is part of the Bighorn Mountains. The U.S. Geological Survey, which studies the Earth's land and water, says that Rock Creek drains about 60 square miles (155 square kilometers) of land before it reaches Clear Creek.

Protecting the Area

The United States Forest Service is a government group that manages national forests. In 2005, they suggested that the Rock Creek area should become a "wilderness area." A wilderness area is a special place where nature is protected. People can visit, but they can't build roads or use machines there.

Some local leaders had different ideas. A person named Cynthia Lummis, who was a representative for Wyoming, said she would support what the local leaders in Johnson County decided. On March 16, 2010, the Johnson County Commissioners, who are local government officials, voted on this idea. They decided not to support the plan to make Rock Creek a wilderness area.