Wind River Indian Reservation, Native American reservation in Wyoming, United States.
Wind River Indian Reservation sits in central Wyoming and covers wide grasslands, mountain ranges, and river valleys across an area larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. The territory stretches between the Wind River and the Popo Agie River, ranging from dry plains to forested mountain slopes.
The Fort Bridger Treaty in 1868 secured this land for the Eastern Shoshone, but the federal government relocated the Northern Arapaho here in 1878 without Shoshone consent. The two nations have since shared the territory and govern it with separate councils.
The reservation is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, two nations with separate languages and customs. Visitors can attend public powwows on certain days, where dance, song, and traditional dress play an active role.
Travelers should check with tribal offices in Fort Washakie or Ethete about access rules and permits before visiting. Certain areas and activities require prior permission, and respecting local guidelines is important.
The two schools in the reservation offer classes in Shoshone and Arapaho to keep the languages alive. Saint Stephens Indian School in Saint Stephens is one of the oldest Catholic mission schools in the West and now operates as a public school.
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