Yellow Dog River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow Dog River |
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Waterfalls on the Yellow Dog River
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| Native name | Zhaagawaagaminaang-ziibi |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Marquette County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Bulldog Lake 46°41′25″N 87°58′48″W / 46.6902°N 87.9801°W |
| River mouth | Lake Independence 46°47′37″N 87°40′22″W / 46.7935°N 87.6729°W |
| Length | 31.6 mi (50.9 km) |
| Type: | Wild |
| Designated: | March 3, 1992 |
The Yellow Dog River is a beautiful river in Michigan, a state in the United States. It flows through Marquette County in the Upper Peninsula. The river is about 31.6 miles (50.9 km) (50.9 km) long. It also has many smaller streams, called tributaries, that flow into it. These tributaries add up to about 85 miles (137 km) (137 km) in length.
The Yellow Dog River starts at Bulldog Lake. This lake is found in the Ottawa National Forest. The river then flows until it reaches Lake Independence. This area is part of the larger Lake Superior watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river or lake.
What's in a Name?
The Yellow Dog River has had a few different names over time. Early maps from French explorers called it "Rivière Saint Jean" (St. John River). They also called it "Rivière Chien Jaune," which means "Yellow Dog River." These two French names sounded very similar.
The river's original name in the Ojibwe language was Zhaagawaagaminaang-ziibi. This name means "River to the oblong water." Another Ojibwe name was Zhooshowaagamiing-ziibi, which means "Agitated-waters River." Today, the Ojibwe people might call it Ozaawasimong-ziibi (River by the Yellow Dog) or Wezaawaagamig-ziibi (Yellowed-waters River).
A Special River
A part of the Yellow Dog River is very special. It is a National Wild and Scenic River. This means it is protected to keep its natural beauty. The first 4 miles (6 km) (6.4 km) of the river was given this special protection on March 3, 1992. This section starts where the river begins and goes to the edge of the national forest.
Nature Along the River
The Yellow Dog River flows through the McCormick Wilderness. This wilderness area is about 17,000-acre (6,900 ha) (6,880 hectares) in size. The river drops sharply here, creating many small waterfalls and rocky areas.
The trees in this area are very old and large. You can find huge eastern white pine trees. There are also eastern hemlock, sugar maple, and northern red oak trees. These are all types of old-growth northern hardwood trees.
The river also runs through the Yellow Dog Plains. This is a wild and remote area. It is mostly untouched by people, except for some logging operations that have happened there. Many beautiful waterfalls can be seen along the river's path.
A book called The Yellow Dog River-Magical Dialog of a Woodland Stream by David Richarde is all about this river.
River Animals
The Yellow Dog River is home to different kinds of fish.
- Native fish:
- Introduced fish: These fish were brought to the river by people.
* brown trout * rainbow trout The Michigan Department of Natural Resources adds more fish to the river every May.
