West Fork Carson River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Fork Carson River
Near Hope Valley
Map of the Carson River watershed
Country	United States
State	California
Physical characteristics
Main source	Sierra Nevada Alpine County, California 8,404 ft (2,562 m) 38°38′38″N 119°56′14″W / 38.64389°N 119.93722°W / 38.64389; -119.93722
River mouth	Carson River Douglas County, Nevada 4,675 ft (1,425 m) 38°59′27″N 119°49′29″W / 38.99083°N 119.82472°W / 38.99083; -119.82472
Length	35 mi (56 km)

The West Fork Carson River is a major tributary of the Carson River, about 35 miles (56 km) long, in Alpine County, California, and Douglas County, Nevada, in the United States.

It rises in the Sierra Nevada of California, at Lost Lakes near Carson Pass in the Mokelumne Wilderness of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It flows north into Hope Valley where it is joined by SR 88 (Carson Pass Highway), which closely follows the river as it travels toward Nevada. At the northern end of the valley it turns east, flowing through a gorge, before emerging from the mountains near Woodfords. From there it flows north, into the Carson Valley of Nevada, where it joins with the East Fork Carson River at Genoa to form the Carson River.