John Colter originally named the river the Stinking Water when he encountered the strong odor of sulfur at a thermal area on the river near present day Cody.
The Wyoming legislature, in 1902, changed the name to Shoshone at the request of area residents who wanted a more positive name for the river.
The river was named after the Shoshone indians. Shoshone means "abundance of grass." It referred to the grass lodges the tribe wove.
The Shoshone has its headwaters in the Absoroka mountains near Yellowstone National Park.
Water from the Shoshone is used extensively for irrigation in the Northern part of the Big Horn Basin.
