Rivers Of Colorado on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
This is a list of
This is a list of river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
s and stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
s in the U.S.
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
.
# Alphabetical list
# Tributary chart
__TOC__
Alphabetical list
The following alphabetical list includes many importantstream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
s that flow through the State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
, including all 158 named river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
s. Where available, the total extent of the stream's drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
is shown after the name. The names of the 17 Colorado rivers with a drainage basin of more than 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 sq mi), about three times the area of Rhode Island, are shown in bold.
# Adams Fork Conejos River
# Adobe Creek
# Alamosa River 383 km2 (148 mi2)
#Animas River
Animas River (''On-e-mas''; ) is a river in the western United States, a tributary of the San Juan River, part of the Colorado River System.
The river has experienced numerous catastrophes due to the mining nearby, the largest being the 201 ...
3,562 km2 (1,375 mi2)
# Apishapa River 2,798 km2 (1,080 mi2)
#Arikaree River
The Arikaree River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America. It lies mostly in the United States, American state of Colorado, draining land between the North and South Forks of the Republican River, and it flows into the North F ...
4,429 km2 (1,710 mi2)
#Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
478,501 km2 (184,750 mi2)
# Aspen Brook
# Badger Creek
# Bear Creek 4,500 km2 (1,737 mi2)
# Bear Creek 339 km2 (131 mi2)
# Bear River
# Beaver Creek 2,939 km2 (1,135 mi2)
# Big Dry Creek (Littleton, Colorado)
# Big Dry Creek (Westminster, Colorado)
# Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km2 (1,863 mi2)
#Big Thompson River
The Big Thompson River is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long, in the U.S. state of Colorado. Originating in Forest Canyon in Rocky Mountain National Park, the river flows into Lake Estes in the town of Estes Park and ...
2,149 km2 (830 mi2)
# Bijou Creek 3,612 km2 (1,395 mi2)
# Blue Creek
# Blue River 1,770 km2 (683 mi2)
# Box Elder Creek
# Boulder Creek (1,160 km2 (448 mi2)
#Cache la Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River ( ), also known as the Poudre River, is a river in the state of Colorado in the United States.
Name
The name, , is a corruption of the original , or " cache of powder". It refers to an incident in the 1820s when F ...
4,959 km2 (1,915 mi2)
#Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .Carnero Creek
# Cebolla Creek
# Chalk Creek
# Cherry Creek 1,050 km2 (405 mi2)
# Chico Creek 1,934 km2 (747 mi2)
# Cimarron River 44,890 km2 (17,332 mi2)
# Cimarron River
# Clear Creek 1,497 km2 (578 mi2)
# Cochetopa Creek
#
Colorado River
The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...
(637,137 km2 (246,000 mi2)
#Conejos River
The Conejos River is a tributary of the Rio Grande, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 31, 2011 in south-central Colorado in the United States. It d ...
2,078 km2 (802 mi2)
# Crow Creek 3,717 km2 (1,435 mi2)
# Crystal River
# Cucharas River
# Culebra Creek
# Deep Creek
#Dolores River
The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. The river drains a rugged and arid region of the Colorado Plateau west of the San Juan Mountains. Its name derives from the Spa ...
11,998 km2 (4,633 mi2)
# Dry Fork Michigan River
# Eagle River 2,515 km2 (971 mi2)
# East Fork Arkansas River
# East Fork Cimarron River
# East Fork Eagle River
# East Fork Little Cimarron River
# East Fork Navajo River
# East Fork Piedra River
# East Fork Rio Chama
# East Fork San Juan River
# East Fork South Fork Crystal River
#East Fork Williams Fork
The East Fork Williams Fork is a tributary of the Williams Fork in north central Colorado in the United States. The river merges with the South Fork Williams Fork to form the Williams Fork. Perhaps the most unusual river name in Colorado is the ...
# East Mancos River
#East River
The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
762 km2 (294 mi2)
# Elk River
# Encampment River
# Fall River
# Fall River
# First Fork Piedra River
# First Fork South Fork Piney River
# Florida River
#Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek is a creek that originates in Woodland Park in Teller County and flows through El Paso County to its confluence with the Arkansas River near Pueblo in Pueblo County, Colorado. The creek,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hyd ...
2,418 km2 (933 mi2)
#Fraser River
The Fraser River () is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain (Canada), Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of V ...
# Frenchman Creek 7,398 km2 (2,856 mi2)
#Fryingpan River
The Fryingpan River is a tributary of the Roaring Fork River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 18, 2011 in Eagle and Pitkin counties in Color ...
# Geneva Creek
# Gore Creek
# Grape Creek
# Green River (115,903 km2 (44,750 mi2)
#Gunnison River
The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River.
Description
The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of the ...
(20,851 km2 (8,051 mi2)
# Henson Creek
# Hermosa Creek
# Hidden River
# Hill Branch Cucharas River
#Homestake Creek
Homestake Creek is a tributary of the Eagle River in Eagle County, Colorado. Homestake Dam impounds one of the creek's tributaries, Middle Fork Homestake Creek. Homestake Creek itself begins just below the dam, at the confluence of its east and ...
# Horse Creek 3,680 km2 (1,421 mi2)
# Huerfano River 4,840 km2 (1,869 mi2)
#Illinois River
The Illinois River () is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River at approximately in length. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, the river has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins with the confluence of the Des Plaines ...
# Kettle Creek
#King Arroyo
King Arroyo is a tributary of the Arkansas River in Otero County, Colorado.
Course
King Arroyo rises in the Comanche National Grassland south of La Junta, Colorado and flows generally north. Its main tributary is East Fork King Arroyo. The two s ...
# Kiowa Creek 1,888 km2 (729 mi2)
# La Plata River
# Ladder Creek 3,645 km2 (1,407 mi2)
# Lake Fork (Arkansas River tributary)
# Lake Fork Gunnison River
#Laramie River
The Laramie River is a tributary of the North Platte River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 21, 2011 in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyomi ...
11,961 km2 (4,618 mi2)
# Left Hand Creek
# Little Beaver Creek 1,602 km2 (619 mi2)
# Little Cimarron River
# Little Dolores River
# Little Dry Creek
# Little Navajo River
#Little Snake River
The Little Snake River is a tributary of the Yampa River, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado in the United States.
Description
The river rises near the continental divide, in Routt National Forest in nort ...
10,629 km2 (4,104 mi2)
#Little Thompson River
The Little Thompson River is a tributary of the Big Thompson River and thence the South Platte River in the U.S. state of Colorado.
The river's headwaters lie in the Roosevelt National Forest. It flows east through the foothills of the Rocky M ...
# Lodgepole Creek 8,374 km2 (3,233 mi2)
# Lone Tree Creek
# Los Pinos River
# Mancos River 2,099 km2 (810 mi2)
# Marshall Creek
# McElmo Creek 1,842 km2 (711 mi2)
# Michigan River
# Middle Fork Cimarron River
# Middle Fork Conejos River
# Middle Fork Elk River
# Middle Fork Little Snake River
# Middle Fork Piedra River
# Middle Fork Purgatoire River
# Middle Fork South Arkansas River
# Middle Fork South Platte River
# Middle Fork Swan River
# Middle Mancos River
# Montezuma Creek 3,044 km2 (1,175 mi2)
# Muddy Creek
# Navajo River
# North Branch Conejos River
# North Fork Animas River
# North Fork Apishapa River
# North Fork Arikaree River
# North Fork Big Thompson River
# North Fork Cache la Poudre River
# North Fork Canadian River
# North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km2 (1,723 mi2)
# North Fork Conejos River
# North Fork Crystal River
# North Fork Elk River
# North Fork Fryingpan River
# North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km2 (962 mi2)
# North Fork Little Snake River
# North Fork Little Thompson River
# North Fork Los Pinos River
# North Fork Michigan River
# North Fork North Platte River
# North Fork Piney River
# North Fork Purgatoire River
#North Fork Republican River
The North Fork Republican River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 29, 2011 tributary of the Republican River. It flows eastward from a source in Yuma County, Co ...
13,172 km2 (5,086 mi2)
# North Fork Rio de los Pinos
# North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965 km2 (759 mi2)
# North Fork Snake River
# North Fork South Arkansas River
#North Fork South Platte River
The North Fork South Platte River is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately 50 miles (80 km) long, in central Colorado in the United States. The river is located near the headwaters of the South Platte in the Rocky Mountains s ...
# North Fork Swan River
#North Fork Vermejo River
#North Fork West Branch Laramie River
#North Fork West Mancos River
#North Fork White River
#North Platte River 80,755 km2 (31,180 mi2)
#North Saint Charles River
#Ohio Creek
#Owl Creek (Colorado), Owl Creek
#Parachute Creek
#Pawnee Creek (Colorado), Pawnee Creek 1,875 km2 (724 mi2)
#Piceance Creek 1,630 km2 (629 mi2)
#Piedra River (Colorado), Piedra River 1,770 km2 (683 mi2)
#Piney River (Colorado), Piney River
#Plateau Creek (Colorado), Plateau Creek
#Plum Creek (Douglas County, Colorado), Plum Creek
#Purgatoire River 8,923 km2 (3,445 mi2)
#Quartz Creek (Gunnison County, Colorado), Quartz Creek
#Ralston Creek (Colorado), Ralston Creek
#Rio Blanco (Colorado), Rio Blanco
#Rio Chama (Rio Grande), Rio Chama 8,204 km2 (3,168 mi2)
#Rio Chamita
#Rio de los Pinos
#Rio Grande 457,275 km2 (176,555 mi2)
#Rio Lado
#Rio San Antonio (Colorado–New Mexico), Rio San Antonio
#Rito Seco
#Roan Creek (Colorado), Roan Creek
#Roaring Fork Little Snake River
#Roaring Fork River 3,766 km2 (1,454 mi2)
#Roaring River (Colorado), Roaring River
#Rush Creek (Colorado), Rush Creek 3,570 km2 (1,378 mi2)
#Saguache Creek 3,482 km2 (1,345 mi2)
#Saint Charles River (Colorado), Saint Charles River
#Saint Louis Creek
#Saint Vrain Creek 2,572 km2 (993 mi2)
#Salt Creek (Pueblo County, Colorado), Salt Creek
#San Juan River (Colorado River tributary), San Juan River 64,560 km2 (24,927 mi2)
#San Luis Creek (Colorado), San Luis Creek 7,000 km2 (2,703 mi2)
#San Miguel River (Colorado), San Miguel River 4,060 km2 (1,567 mi2)
#Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km2 (748 mi2)
#Sand Creek (Denver, Colorado), Sand Creek (Adams County)
#Sand Creek (Colorado Springs, Colorado), Sand Creek (Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs)
#Sand Creek (Wyoming), Sand Creek (Larimer County)
#Sangre de Cristo Creek (Costilla County)
#Sidney Draw 1,949 km2 (753 mi2)
#Slate River (Colorado), Slate River
#Smith Fork (Colorado), Smith Fork
#Smoky Hill River 51,783 km2 (19,994 mi2)
#Snake River (Colorado), Snake River
#South Arkansas River
#South Fork Animas River
#South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939 km2 (749 mi2)
#South Fork Cache la Poudre River
#South Fork Canadian River
#South Fork Conejos River
#South Fork Crystal River
#South Fork Cucharas River
#South Fork Eagle River
#South Fork Elk River
#South Fork Fryingpan River
#South Fork Huerfano River
#South Fork Little Snake River
#South Fork Michigan River
#South Fork Piney River
#South Fork Purgatoire River
#South Fork Republican River 7,195 km2 (2,778 mi2)
#South Fork Rio Grande
#South Fork San Miguel River
#South Fork South Platte River
#South Fork Swan River
#South Fork West Mancos River
#South Fork White River
#South Platte River 62,738 km2 (24,223 mi2)
#Spring Creek (Fort Collins, Colorado), Spring Creek
#Spruce Creek (Larimer County, Colorado), Spruce Creek
#Stoner Creek (Colorado), Stoner Creek
#Swan River (Colorado), Swan River
#Tarryall Creek
#Taylor River (Colorado), Taylor River 1,258 km2 (486 mi2)
#Tenmile Creek (Colorado), Tenmile Creek
#Tennessee Creek (Arkansas River), Tennessee Creek
#Tomichi Creek 2,874 km2 (1,109 mi2)
#Trinchera Creek
#Two Butte Creek 2,107 km2 (814 mi2)
#Uncompahgre River 2,921 km2 (1,128 mi2)
#Vermillion Creek 2,500 km2 (965 mi2)
#West Branch Laramie River
#West Dolores River
#West Fork Animas River
#West Fork Cimarron River
#West Fork East Fork Williams Fork
#West Fork Elk River
#West Fork Encampment River
#West Fork Little Thompson River
#West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
#West Fork Rio Chama
#West Fork San Juan River
#West Mancos River
#White River (Green River tributary), White River 12,989 km2 (5,015 mi2)
#White Woman Creek 3,000 km2 (1,158 mi2)
#Williams Fork (Colorado River tributary)
#Williams Fork (Yampa River tributary)
#Willow Creek (Colorado), Willow Creek
#Wind River (Colorado), Wind River
#Wolf Creek (Mineral County, Colorado), Wolf Creek
#Yampa River 21,506 km2 (8,304 mi2)
#Yellow Creek (Colorado), Yellow Creek 760 km2 (293 mi2)
Notes
Of the 158 namedriver
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
s that flow through the State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
, all but the Green River and Cimarron River have their headwaters in that state.
As of February 1, 2008, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names had identified 5,564 natural stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
s in the State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
. Of this number, 147 larger streams (2.6%) were named ''river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
'' and 11 (0.2%) were named ''rio''. The vast majority of the Colorado streams (5082 or 91.3%) were named ''stream, creek''. Of the remaining Colorado streams, 122 (2.2%) were named ''Arroyo (watercourse), arroyo'', 60 (1.1%) were named ''wash (creek), wash'', 44 (0.8%) were named ''fork'', 18 (0.3%) were named ''branch'', 17 (0.3%) were named ''brook'', 17 (0.3%) were named ''run'', 15 (0.3%) were named ''rito'', 10 (0.2%) were named ''River delta, slough'', but not a single stream was named ''stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
''. Perhaps the most unusual river name in Colorado belongs to the West Fork East Fork Williams Fork located in Garfield County, Colorado, Garfield County.
Many streams in Colorado share a name with another stream in the same state. In addition to the Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
, there is also a Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .Cimarron River that is another major tributary of the
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
, there is also a Cimarron River that is a tributary of the Gunnison River
The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River.
Description
The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of the ...
. There is a Fall River that is a tributary of the Big Thompson River
The Big Thompson River is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long, in the U.S. state of Colorado. Originating in Forest Canyon in Rocky Mountain National Park, the river flows into Lake Estes in the town of Estes Park and ...
as well as a Fall River that is a tributary of Clear Creek.
There are 72 streams in the State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
that are named ''Willow Creek'', 71 streams named ''Spring Creek'', 53 streams named ''Cottonwood Creek'', 49 streams named ''Bear Creek'', 49 streams named ''Beaver Creek'', 48 streams named ''Dry Creek'', 33 streams named ''Rock Creek'', 33 streams named ''Sand Creek'', and 32 streams named ''Mill Creek''. The Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
and the Colorado River
The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...
flow through Colorado, as do a Florida River, an Idaho Creek (Colorado), Idaho Creek, an Illinois River
The Illinois River () is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River at approximately in length. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, the river has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins with the confluence of the Des Plaines ...
, an Indiana Creek (Colorado), Indiana Creek, a Maryland Creek (Colorado), Maryland Creek, a Michigan River, a Minnesota Creek (Colorado), Minnesota Creek, six ''Missouri Creek''s, a Montana Creek (Colorado), Montana Creek, two ''New York Creek''s, two ''Ohio Creek''s, two ''Pennsylvania Creek''s, two ''Tennessee Creek''s, seven ''Texas Creek''s, and a Virginia Creek (Colorado), Virginia Creek.
Tributary chart
The following tributary chart shows many importantstream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
s that flow through the State of Colorado
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east ...
including all 158 named river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
s. The chart is arranged by tributary and area of the drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
. The names of the 17 Colorado rivers with a drainage basin of more than 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 sq mi) are shown in bold. Oceans and streams outside of Colorado are shown in ''italics''.
''Pacific Ocean''
#''Gulf of California''
##Colorado River
The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...
### Green River
####Yampa River 21,506 km2 (8,304 mi2)
#####Little Snake River
The Little Snake River is a tributary of the Yampa River, approximately long, in southwestern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado in the United States.
Description
The river rises near the continental divide, in Routt National Forest in nort ...
10,629 km2 (4,104 mi2)
######Roaring Fork Little Snake River
###### Middle Fork Little Snake River
###### North Fork Little Snake River
######South Fork Little Snake River
##### Bear River
##### Elk River
######South Fork Elk River
###### Middle Fork Elk River
###### North Fork Elk River
#####Williams Fork (Yampa River tributary), Williams Fork
######East Fork Williams Fork
The East Fork Williams Fork is a tributary of the Williams Fork in north central Colorado in the United States. The river merges with the South Fork Williams Fork to form the Williams Fork. Perhaps the most unusual river name in Colorado is the ...
####White River (Green River tributary), White River 12,989 km2 (5,015 mi2)
#####Piceance Creek 1,630 km2 (629 mi2)
#####Yellow Creek (Colorado), Yellow Creek 760 km2 (293 mi2)
#####North Fork White River
#####South Fork White River
####Vermillion Creek 2,500 km2 (965 mi2)
###Colorado River, upper Colorado River, formerly the Grand River (Colorado), Grand River
####Gunnison River
The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado, United States and is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado River.
Description
The river flows east to west and has a drainage area of according to the USGS. The drainage basin of the ...
20,851 km2 (8,051 mi2)
#####Uncompahgre River 2,921 km2 (1,128 mi2)
#####Tomichi Creek 2,874 km2 (1,109 mi2)
###### Marshall Creek
###### Cochetopa Creek
######Quartz Creek (Gunnison County, Colorado), Quartz Creek
##### Cebolla Creek
##### North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km2 (962 mi2)
#####Smith Fork (Colorado), Smith Fork
##### Blue Creek
##### Lake Fork Gunnison River
###### Henson Creek
#####Taylor River (Colorado), Taylor River 1,258 km2 (486 mi2)
#####East River
The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
762 km2 (294 mi2)
######Slate River (Colorado), Slate River
#####Ohio Creek
##### Cimarron River
###### Little Cimarron River
####### East Fork Little Cimarron River
###### East Fork Cimarron River
###### Middle Fork Cimarron River
######West Fork Cimarron River
####Dolores River
The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. The river drains a rugged and arid region of the Colorado Plateau west of the San Juan Mountains. Its name derives from the Spa ...
11,998 km2 (4,633 mi2)
#####San Miguel River (Colorado), San Miguel River 4,060 km2 (1,567 mi2)
######South Fork San Miguel River
#####West Dolores River
#####Rio Lado
####Roaring Fork River 3,766 km2 (1,454 mi2)
##### Crystal River
###### North Fork Crystal River
######South Fork Crystal River
####### East Fork South Fork Crystal River
#####Fryingpan River
The Fryingpan River is a tributary of the Roaring Fork River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 18, 2011 in Eagle and Pitkin counties in Color ...
###### North Fork Fryingpan River
######South Fork Fryingpan River
#### Deep Creek
#### Eagle River 2,515 km2 (971 mi2)
##### Gore Creek
#####Homestake Creek
Homestake Creek is a tributary of the Eagle River in Eagle County, Colorado. Homestake Dam impounds one of the creek's tributaries, Middle Fork Homestake Creek. Homestake Creek itself begins just below the dam, at the confluence of its east and ...
##### East Fork Eagle River
#####South Fork Eagle River
#### Blue River 1,770 km2 (683 mi2)
#####Snake River (Colorado), Snake River
###### North Fork Snake River
#####Tenmile Creek (Colorado), Tenmile Creek
#####Swan River (Colorado), Swan River
###### Middle Fork Swan River
###### North Fork Swan River
######South Fork Swan River
#### Little Dolores River
####Fraser River
The Fraser River () is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain (Canada), Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of V ...
#####Saint Louis Creek
####Williams Fork (Colorado River tributary), Williams Fork
#####East Fork Williams Fork
The East Fork Williams Fork is a tributary of the Williams Fork in north central Colorado in the United States. The river merges with the South Fork Williams Fork to form the Williams Fork. Perhaps the most unusual river name in Colorado is the ...
######West Fork East Fork Williams Fork
####Piney River (Colorado), Piney River
##### North Fork Piney River
#####South Fork Piney River
###### First Fork South Fork Piney River
####Parachute Creek
####Roan Creek (Colorado), Roan Creek
####Plateau Creek (Colorado), Plateau Creek
#### Muddy Creek
####Willow Creek (Colorado), Willow Creek
###San Juan River (Colorado River tributary), San Juan River 64,560 km2 (24,927 mi2)
####Animas River
Animas River (''On-e-mas''; ) is a river in the western United States, a tributary of the San Juan River, part of the Colorado River System.
The river has experienced numerous catastrophes due to the mining nearby, the largest being the 201 ...
3,562 km2 (1,375 mi2)
##### Hermosa Creek
##### Florida River
##### North Fork Animas River
#####South Fork Animas River
#####West Fork Animas River
#### Montezuma Creek 3,044 km2 (1,175 mi2)
#### Mancos River 2,099 km2 (810 mi2)
##### East Mancos River
###### Middle Mancos River
#####West Mancos River
######North Fork West Mancos River
######South Fork West Mancos River
#### McElmo Creek 1,842 km2 (711 mi2)
####Piedra River (Colorado), Piedra River 1,770 km2 (683 mi2)
##### First Fork Piedra River
##### East Fork Piedra River
##### Middle Fork Piedra River
#### La Plata River
#### Navajo River
##### Little Navajo River
##### East Fork Navajo River
#### Los Pinos River
##### North Fork Los Pinos River
####Rio Blanco (Colorado), Rio Blanco
#### East Fork San Juan River
####West Fork San Juan River
#####Wolf Creek (Mineral County, Colorado), Wolf Creek
''Atlantic Ocean''
#''Gulf of Mexico''
##''Mississippi River''
###''Missouri River''
####''Platte River''
#####North Platte River 80,755 km2 (31,180 mi2)
######Laramie River
The Laramie River is a tributary of the North Platte River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 21, 2011 in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyomi ...
11,961 km2 (4,618 mi2)
#######Sand Creek (Wyoming), Sand Creek
#######West Branch Laramie River
########North Fork West Branch Laramie River
###### Encampment River
#######West Fork Encampment River
######Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .North Fork Canadian River
#######South Fork Canadian River
###### Michigan River
#######
Illinois River
The Illinois River () is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River at approximately in length. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, the river has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins with the confluence of the Des Plaines ...
####### North Fork Michigan River
#######South Fork Michigan River
####### Dry Fork Michigan River
###### North Fork North Platte River
#####South Platte River 62,738 km2 (24,223 mi2)
###### Lodgepole Creek 8,374 km2 (3,233 mi2)
######Cache la Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River ( ), also known as the Poudre River, is a river in the state of Colorado in the United States.
Name
The name, , is a corruption of the original , or " cache of powder". It refers to an incident in the 1820s when F ...
4,959 km2 (1,915 mi2)
####### North Fork Cache la Poudre River
#######South Fork Cache la Poudre River
#######Spring Creek (Fort Collins, Colorado), Spring Creek
###### Crow Creek 3,717 km2 (1,435 mi2)
###### Bijou Creek 3,612 km2 (1,395 mi2)
###### Beaver Creek 2,939 km2 (1,135 mi2)
######Saint Vrain Creek 2,572 km2 (993 mi2)
####### Boulder Creek 1,160 km2 (448 mi2)
####### Left Hand Creek
######Big Thompson River
The Big Thompson River is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long, in the U.S. state of Colorado. Originating in Forest Canyon in Rocky Mountain National Park, the river flows into Lake Estes in the town of Estes Park and ...
2,149 km2 (830 mi2)
#######Little Thompson River
The Little Thompson River is a tributary of the Big Thompson River and thence the South Platte River in the U.S. state of Colorado.
The river's headwaters lie in the Roosevelt National Forest. It flows east through the foothills of the Rocky M ...
######## North Fork Little Thompson River
########West Fork Little Thompson River
####### Fall River
########Roaring River (Colorado), Roaring River
####### North Fork Big Thompson River
####### Aspen Brook
########Wind River (Colorado), Wind River
#######Spruce Creek (Larimer County, Colorado), Spruce Creek
######## Hidden River
#######Fish Creek (Larimer County, Colorado), Fish Creek
######Sidney Draw 1,949 km2 (753 mi2)
###### Box Elder Creek
###### Kiowa Creek 1,888 km2 (729 mi2)
######Pawnee Creek (Colorado), Pawnee Creek 1,875 km2 (724 mi2)
###### Clear Creek 1,497 km2 (578 mi2)
#######Ralston Creek (Colorado), Ralston Creek
####### Fall River
###### Cherry Creek 1,050 km2 (405 mi2)
######Plum Creek (Douglas County, Colorado), Plum Creek
######North Fork South Platte River
The North Fork South Platte River is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately 50 miles (80 km) long, in central Colorado in the United States. The river is located near the headwaters of the South Platte in the Rocky Mountains s ...
####### Geneva Creek
###### Middle Fork South Platte River
######South Fork South Platte River
###### Lone Tree Creek
#######Owl Creek (Colorado), Owl Creek
######Tarryall Creek
######Sand Creek (Denver, Colorado), Sand Creek
###### Bear Creek 339 km2 (131 mi2)
###### Big Dry Creek (Littleton, Colorado)
###### Big Dry Creek (Westminster, Colorado)
###### Little Dry Creek
####''Kansas River''
#####''Republican River''
######North Fork Republican River
The North Fork Republican River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 29, 2011 tributary of the Republican River. It flows eastward from a source in Yuma County, Co ...
13,172 km2 (5,086 mi2)
######Arikaree River
The Arikaree River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America. It lies mostly in the United States, American state of Colorado, draining land between the North and South Forks of the Republican River, and it flows into the North F ...
4,429 km2 (1,710 mi2)
####### North Fork Arikaree River
###### Frenchman Creek 7,398 km2 (2,856 mi2)
######''Sappa Creek''
#######''Beaver Creek (Nebraska), Beaver Creek''
########South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939 km2 (749 mi2)
######## Little Beaver Creek 1,602 km2 (619 mi2)
######South Fork Republican River 7,195 km2 (2,778 mi2)
#####Smoky Hill River 51,783 km2 (19,994 mi2)
###### Ladder Creek 3,645 km2 (1,407 mi2)
###### North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965 km2 (759 mi2)
###Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
478,501 km2 (184,750 mi2)
####Tennessee Creek (Arkansas River), Tennessee Creek
####Lake Fork (Arkansas River tributary), Lake Fork
####Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .Cimarron River 44,890 km2 (17,332 mi2)
##### North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km2 (1,723 mi2)
##### Badger Creek
######Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km2 (748 mi2)
####Purgatoire River 8,923 km2 (3,445 mi2)
##### North Fork Purgatoire River
######West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
##### Middle Fork Purgatoire River
#####South Fork Purgatoire River
#### Huerfano River 4,840 km2 (1,869 mi2)
##### Cucharas River
###### Hill Branch Cucharas River
######South Fork Cucharas River
#####South Fork Huerfano River
#### Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km2 (1,863 mi2)
#####Rush Creek (Colorado), Rush Creek 3,570 km2 (1,378 mi2)
#### Horse Creek 3,680 km2 (1,421 mi2)
#### Apishapa River 2,798 km2 (1,080 mi2)
##### North Fork Apishapa River
####
State of Colorado website
*
Colorado Division of Natural Resources
**
Colorado Water Conservation Board
**
Colorado Division of Water Resources
**
Colorado Geological Survey
***
Major Rivers of Colorado
**
Colorado's Decision Support Systems
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivers of Colorado, List of Rivers of Colorado, Geography of Colorado Lists of landforms of Colorado Tourism in Colorado Lists of rivers of the United States by state, Colorado, List of rivers of
Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek is a creek that originates in Woodland Park in Teller County and flows through El Paso County to its confluence with the Arkansas River near Pueblo in Pueblo County, Colorado. The creek,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hyd ...
2,418 km2 (933 mi2)
####Salt Creek (Pueblo County, Colorado), Salt Creek
####Two Butte Creek 2,107 km2 (814 mi2)
#### Chico Creek 1,934 km2 (747 mi2)
####South Arkansas River
##### Middle Fork South Arkansas River
##### North Fork South Arkansas River
#### Grape Creek
####Saint Charles River (Colorado), Saint Charles River
#####North Saint Charles River
#### East Fork Arkansas River
#### Chalk Creek
####''Bear Creek Basin (endorheic basin)''
##### Bear Creek 4,500 km2 (1,737 mi2)
####''White Woman Basin (endorheic basin)''
#####White Woman Creek 3,000 km2 (1,158 mi2)
##Rio Grande 457,275 km2 (176,555 mi2)
###Rio Chama (Rio Grande), Rio Chama 8,204 km2 (3,168 mi2)
####Rio Chamita
#### East Fork Rio Chama
####West Fork Rio Chama
###Conejos River
The Conejos River is a tributary of the Rio Grande, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed March 31, 2011 in south-central Colorado in the United States. It d ...
2,078 km2 (802 mi2)
####Rio San Antonio (Colorado–New Mexico), Rio San Antonio
#####Rio de los Pinos
###### North Fork Rio de los Pinos
#### Middle Fork Conejos River
#### North Branch Conejos River
#### North Fork Conejos River
####South Fork Conejos River
#### Adams Fork Conejos River
###South Fork Rio Grande
### Alamosa River 383 km2 (148 mi2)
###Trinchera Creek
####Sangre de Cristo Creek
###Rio Culebra (Colorado), Culebra Creek
####Rito Seco
###''San Luis Closed Basin (endorheic basin)''
####San Luis Creek (Colorado), San Luis Creek 7,000 km2 (2,703 mi2)
#####Saguache Creek 3,482 km2 (1,345 mi2)
#### Carnero Creek
See also
*Hydrology **Surface-water hydrology ***Drainage basin *Bibliography of Colorado *Geography of Colorado *History of Colorado *Index of Colorado-related articles *List of Colorado-related lists *Outline of ColoradoNotes
References
External links
State of Colorado website
*
Colorado Division of Natural Resources
**
Colorado Water Conservation Board
**
Colorado Division of Water Resources
**
Colorado Geological Survey
***
Major Rivers of Colorado
**
Colorado's Decision Support Systems
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivers of Colorado, List of Rivers of Colorado, Geography of Colorado Lists of landforms of Colorado Tourism in Colorado Lists of rivers of the United States by state, Colorado, List of rivers of