James Ohio Pattie named the river in 1826 as he explored this area in Arizona's White Mountains.

[8] From source to mouth, the river flows through Apache, Greenlee, Graham, Navajo and Gila counties.

[9] Rainbow and brown trout and smallmouth bass are among the 13 species of fish found in the Black River.

[4] Major fishes in this river system also include channel catfish, desert suckers, and fathead minnows, among others.

[4] Beaver, muskrats, great blue herons, mallards, and osprey are among the vertebrates found in or near the river.