The Shoshone people inhabited the region since the year 1300. The name Seedskadee is derived from the Shoshone language word sisk-a-dee-agie, which means "river of the prairie hen". The area was first visited by white explorers in 1811 and was later a crossroads for the Oregon and Mormon Trails; many of the original wagon tracks left by early pioneers can still be seen.
The refuge includes 36 miles (56 km) of the Green River, which is a water source for shrubs and cottonwoods in an otherwise arid region. The refuge was established in 1965 to mitigate wildlife habitat loss resulting from the construction of Fontenelle Dam upstream and Flaming Gorge Dam downstream on the Green River.[1]