List of rivers of Colorado

This is a list of rivers and streams in the U.S. State of Colorado.

1. Alphabetical list
2. Tributary chart

Alphabetical list

The following alphabetical list includes many important streams that flow through the State of Colorado, including all 158 named rivers. Where available, the total extent of the stream's drainage basin 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.

1. Adams Fork Conejos River
2. Adobe Creek
3. Alamosa River 383 km² (148 mi²)
4. Animas River 3,562 km² (1,375 mi²)
5. Apishapa River 2,798 km² (1,080 mi²)
6. Arikaree River 4,429 km² (1,710 mi²)
7. Arkansas River 478,501 km² (184,750 mi²)
8. Aspen Brook
9. Badger Creek
10. Bear Creek 4,500 km² (1,737 mi²)
11. Bear Creek 339 km² (131 mi²)
12. Bear River
13. Beaver Creek 2,939 km² (1,135 mi²)
14. Beaver Creek (Arkansas River tributary)
15. Big Dry Creek (Littleton, Colorado)
16. Big Dry Creek (Westminster, Colorado)
17. Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km² (1,863 mi²)
18. Big Thompson River 2,149 km² (830 mi²)
19. Bijou Creek 3,612 km² (1,395 mi²)
20. Blue Creek
21. Blue River 1,770 km² (683 mi²)
22. Box Elder Creek
23. Boulder Creek (1,160 km² (448 mi²)
24. Cache la Poudre River 4,959 km² (1,915 mi²)
25. Canadian River 122,701 km² (47,375 mi²)
26. Canadian River
27. Carnero Creek
28. Castle Creek
29. Cattle Creek
30. Cebolla Creek
31. Chalk Creek
32. Cherry Creek 1,050 km² (405 mi²)
33. Chico Creek 1,934 km² (747 mi²)
34. Cimarron River 44,890 km² (17,332 mi²)
35. Cimarron River
36. Clear Creek 1,497 km² (578 mi²)
37. Cochetopa Creek
38. Colorado River(637,137 km² (246,000 mi²)
39. Conejos River 2,078 km² (802 mi²)
40. Crow Creek 3,717 km² (1,435 mi²)
41. Crystal River
42. Cucharas River
43. Culebra Creek
44. Deep Creek
45. Dolores River 11,998 km² (4,633 mi²)
46. Dry Fork Michigan River
47. Eagle River 2,515 km² (971 mi²)
48. East Fork Arkansas River
49. East Fork Cimarron River
50. East Fork Eagle River
51. East Fork Little Cimarron River
52. East Fork Navajo River
53. East Fork Piedra River
54. East Fork Rio Chama
55. East Fork San Juan River
56. East Fork South Fork Crystal River
57. East Fork Williams Fork
58. East Mancos River
59. East River 762 km² (294 mi²)
60. Elk River
61. Encampment River
62. Fall River
63. Fall River
64. First Fork Piedra River
65. First Fork South Fork Piney River
66. Florida River
67. Fountain Creek 2,418 km² (933 mi²)
68. Fraser River
69. Frenchman Creek 7,398 km² (2,856 mi²)
70. Fryingpan River
71. Geneva Creek
72. Gore Creek
73. Grape Creek
74. Green River (115,903 km² (44,750 mi²)
75. Greenhorn Creek
76. Gunnison River (20,851 km² (8,051 mi²)
77. Henson Creek
78. Hermosa Creek
79. Hidden River
80. Hill Branch Cucharas River
81. Homestake Creek
82. Horse Creek 3,680 km² (1,421 mi²)
83. Huerfano River 4,840 km² (1,869 mi²)
84. Illinois River
85. Kettle Creek
86. King Arroyo
87. Kiowa Creek 1,888 km² (729 mi²)
88. La Plata River
89. Ladder Creek 3,645 km² (1,407 mi²)
90. Lake Fork (Arkansas River tributary)
91. Lake Fork Gunnison River
92. Laramie River 11,961 km² (4,618 mi²)
93. Left Hand Creek
94. Lincoln Creek
95. Little Beaver Creek 1,602 km² (619 mi²)
96. Little Cimarron River
97. Little Dolores River
98. Little Dry Creek
99. Little Navajo River
100. Little Snake River 10,629 km² (4,104 mi²)
101. Little Thompson River
102. Lodgepole Creek 8,374 km² (3,233 mi²)
103. Lone Tree Creek
104. Los Pinos River
105. Mancos River 2,099 km² (810 mi²)
106. Marshall Creek
107. McElmo Creek 1,842 km² (711 mi²)
108. Michigan River
109. Middle Fork Cimarron River
110. Middle Fork Conejos River
111. Middle Fork Elk River
112. Middle Fork Little Snake River
113. Middle Fork Piedra River
114. Middle Fork Purgatoire River
115. Middle Fork South Arkansas River
116. Middle Fork South Platte River
117. Middle Fork Swan River
118. Middle Mancos River
119. Montezuma Creek 3,044 km² (1,175 mi²)
120. Muddy Creek
121. Navajo River
122. North Branch Conejos River
123. North Fork Animas River
124. North Fork Apishapa River
125. North Fork Arikaree River
126. North Fork Big Thompson River
127. North Fork Cache la Poudre River
128. North Fork Canadian River
129. North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km² (1,723 mi²)
130. North Fork Conejos River
131. North Fork Crystal River
132. North Fork Elk River
133. North Fork Fryingpan River
134. North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km² (962 mi²)
135. North Fork Little Snake River
136. North Fork Little Thompson River
137. North Fork Los Pinos River
138. North Fork Michigan River
139. North Fork North Platte River
140. North Fork Piney River
141. North Fork Purgatoire River
142. North Fork Republican River 13,172 km² (5,086 mi²)
143. North Fork Rio de los Pinos
144. North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965 km² (759 mi²)
145. North Fork Snake River
146. North Fork South Arkansas River
147. North Fork South Platte River
148. North Fork Swan River
149. North Fork Vermejo River
150. North Fork West Branch Laramie River
151. North Fork West Mancos River
152. North Fork White River
153. North Platte River 80,755 km² (31,180 mi²)
154. North Saint Charles River
155. Ohio Creek
156. Owl Creek
157. Parachute Creek
158. Pawnee Creek 1,875 km² (724 mi²)
159. Piceance Creek 1,630 km² (629 mi²)
160. Piedra River 1,770 km² (683 mi²)
161. Piney River
162. Plateau Creek
163. Plum Creek
164. Purgatoire River 8,923 km² (3,445 mi²)
165. Quartz Creek
166. Ralston Creek
167. Rio Blanco
168. Rio Chama 8,204 km² (3,168 mi²)
169. Rio Chamita
170. Rio de los Pinos
171. Rio Grande 457,275 km² (176,555 mi²)
172. Rio Lado
173. Rio San Antonio
174. Rito Seco
175. Roan Creek
176. Roaring Fork Little Snake River
177. Roaring Fork River 3,766 km² (1,454 mi²)
178. Roaring River
179. Rush Creek 3,570 km² (1,378 mi²)
180. Saguache Creek 3,482 km² (1,345 mi²)
181. Saint Charles River
182. Saint Louis Creek
183. Saint Vrain Creek 2,572 km² (993 mi²)
184. Salt Creek
185. San Juan River 64,560 km² (24,927 mi²)
186. San Luis Creek 7,000 km² (2,703 mi²)
187. San Miguel River 4,060 km² (1,567 mi²)
188. Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km² (748 mi²)
189. Sand Creek (Adams County)
190. Sand Creek (Colorado Springs)
191. Sand Creek (Larimer County)
192. Sangre de Cristo Creek (Costilla County)
193. Shooks Run
194. Sidney Draw 1,949 km² (753 mi²)
195. Slate River
196. Smith Fork
197. Smoky Hill River 51,783 km² (19,994 mi²)
198. Snake River
199. Snowmass Creek
200. South Arkansas River
201. South Fork Animas River
202. South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939 km² (749 mi²)
203. South Fork Cache la Poudre River
204. South Fork Canadian River
205. South Fork Conejos River
206. South Fork Crystal River
207. South Fork Cucharas River
208. South Fork Eagle River
209. South Fork Elk River
210. South Fork Fryingpan River
211. South Fork Huerfano River
212. South Fork Little Snake River
213. South Fork Michigan River
214. South Fork Piney River
215. South Fork Purgatoire River
216. South Fork Republican River 7,195 km² (2,778 mi²)
217. South Fork Rio Grande
218. South Fork San Miguel River
219. South Fork South Platte River
220. South Fork Swan River
221. South Fork West Mancos River
222. South Fork White River
223. South Platte River 62,738 km² (24,223 mi²)
224. Spring Creek
225. Spruce Creek
226. Stollsteimer Creek
227. Stoner Creek
228. Swan River
229. Tarryall Creek
230. Taylor River 1,258 km² (486 mi²)
231. Tenmile Creek
232. Tennessee Creek
233. Threemile Creek
234. Tomichi Creek 2,874 km² (1,109 mi²)
235. Trinchera Creek
236. Two Butte Creek 2,107 km² (814 mi²)
237. Uncompahgre River 2,921 km² (1,128 mi²)
238. Vermillion Creek 2,500 km² (965 mi²)
239. West Branch Laramie River
240. West Dolores River
241. West Fork Animas River
242. West Fork Cimarron River
243. West Fork East Fork Williams Fork
244. West Fork Elk River
245. West Fork Encampment River
246. West Fork Little Thompson River
247. West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
248. West Fork Rio Chama
249. West Fork San Juan River
250. West Mancos River
251. White River 12,989 km² (5,015 mi²)
252. White Woman Creek 3,000 km² (1,158 mi²)
253. Williams Fork (Colorado River tributary)
254. Williams Fork (Yampa River tributary)
255. Willow Creek
256. Wind River
257. Woody Creek
258. Wolf Creek
259. Yampa River 21,506 km² (8,304 mi²)
260. Yellow Creek 760 km² (293 mi²)

Notes

Of the 158 named rivers that flow through the State of Colorado, 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 streams in the State of Colorado. Of this number, 147 larger streams (2.6%) were named river and 11 (0.2%) were named rio. The vast majority of the Colorado streams (5082 or 91.3%) were named creek. Of the remaining Colorado streams, 122 (2.2%) were named arroyo, 60 (1.1%) were named 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 slough, but not a single stream was named stream. Perhaps the most unusual river name in Colorado belongs to the West Fork East Fork Williams Fork located in Garfield County.

Many streams in Colorado share a name with another stream in the same state. In addition to the Canadian River that is the largest tributary of the Arkansas River, there is also a Canadian River that is a tributary of the North Platte River. In addition to the Cimarron River that is another major tributary of the Arkansas River, there is also a Cimarron River that is a tributary of the Gunnison River. There is a Fall River that is a tributary of the Big Thompson River as well as a Fall River that is a tributary of Clear Creek.

There are 72 streams in the State of Colorado 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 and the Colorado River flow through Colorado, as do a Florida River, an Idaho Creek, an Illinois River, an Indiana Creek, a Maryland Creek, a Michigan River, a Minnesota Creek, six Missouri Creeks, a Montana Creek, two New York Creeks, two Ohio Creeks, two Pennsylvania Creeks, two Tennessee Creeks, seven Texas Creeks, and a Virginia Creek.

Tributary chart

The following tributary chart shows many important streams that flow through the State of Colorado including all 158 named rivers. The chart is arranged by tributary and area of the drainage basin. 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.

<big>Pacific Ocean</big>

1. Gulf of California
2. Colorado River
3. Green River
4. Yampa River 21,506&nbsp;km² (8,304&nbsp;mi²)
5. Little Snake River 10,629&nbsp;km² (4,104&nbsp;mi²)
6. Roaring Fork Little Snake River
7. Middle Fork Little Snake River
8. North Fork Little Snake River
9. South Fork Little Snake River
10. Bear River
11. Elk River
12. South Fork Elk River
13. Middle Fork Elk River
14. North Fork Elk River
15. Williams Fork
16. East Fork Williams Fork
17. White River 12,989&nbsp;km² (5,015&nbsp;mi²)
18. Piceance Creek 1,630&nbsp;km² (629&nbsp;mi²)
19. Yellow Creek 760&nbsp;km² (293&nbsp;mi²)
20. North Fork White River
21. South Fork White River
22. Vermillion Creek 2,500&nbsp;km² (965&nbsp;mi²)
23. upper Colorado River, formerly the Grand River
24. Gunnison River 20,851&nbsp;km² (8,051&nbsp;mi²)
25. Uncompahgre River 2,921&nbsp;km² (1,128&nbsp;mi²)
26. Tomichi Creek 2,874&nbsp;km² (1,109&nbsp;mi²)
27. Marshall Creek
28. Cochetopa Creek
29. Quartz Creek
30. Cebolla Creek
31. North Fork Gunnison River 2,492&nbsp;km² (962&nbsp;mi²)
32. Smith Fork
33. Blue Creek
34. Lake Fork Gunnison River
35. Henson Creek
36. Taylor River 1,258&nbsp;km² (486&nbsp;mi²)
37. East River 762&nbsp;km² (294&nbsp;mi²)
38. Slate River
39. Ohio Creek
40. Cimarron River
41. Little Cimarron River
42. East Fork Little Cimarron River
43. East Fork Cimarron River
44. Middle Fork Cimarron River
45. West Fork Cimarron River
46. Dolores River 11,998&nbsp;km² (4,633&nbsp;mi²)
47. San Miguel River 4,060&nbsp;km² (1,567&nbsp;mi²)
48. South Fork San Miguel River
49. West Dolores River
50. Rio Lado
51. Roaring Fork River 3,766&nbsp;km² (1,454&nbsp;mi²)
52. Lincoln Creek
53. Castle Creek
54. Woody Creek
55. Snowmass Creek
56. Fryingpan River
57. North Fork Fryingpan River
58. South Fork Fryingpan River
59. Crystal River
60. North Fork Crystal River
61. South Fork Crystal River
62. East Fork South Fork Crystal River
63. Cattle Creek
64. Threemile Creek
65. Deep Creek
66. Eagle River 2,515&nbsp;km² (971&nbsp;mi²)
67. Gore Creek
68. Homestake Creek
69. East Fork Eagle River
70. South Fork Eagle River
71. Blue River 1,770&nbsp;km² (683&nbsp;mi²)
72. Snake River
73. North Fork Snake River
74. Tenmile Creek
75. Swan River
76. Middle Fork Swan River
77. North Fork Swan River
78. South Fork Swan River
79. Little Dolores River
80. Fraser River
81. Saint Louis Creek
82. Williams Fork
83. East Fork Williams Fork
84. West Fork East Fork Williams Fork
85. Piney River
86. North Fork Piney River
87. South Fork Piney River
88. First Fork South Fork Piney River
89. Parachute Creek
90. Roan Creek
91. Plateau Creek
92. Muddy Creek
93. Willow Creek
94. San Juan River 64,560&nbsp;km² (24,927&nbsp;mi²)
95. Animas River 3,562&nbsp;km² (1,375&nbsp;mi²)
96. Hermosa Creek
97. Florida River
98. North Fork Animas River
99. South Fork Animas River
100. West Fork Animas River
101. Montezuma Creek 3,044&nbsp;km² (1,175&nbsp;mi²)
102. Mancos River 2,099&nbsp;km² (810&nbsp;mi²)
103. East Mancos River
104. Middle Mancos River
105. West Mancos River
106. North Fork West Mancos River
107. South Fork West Mancos River
108. McElmo Creek 1,842&nbsp;km² (711&nbsp;mi²)
109. Piedra River 1,770&nbsp;km² (683&nbsp;mi²)
110. First Fork Piedra River
111. East Fork Piedra River
112. Middle Fork Piedra River
113. Stollsteimer Creek
114. La Plata River
115. Navajo River
116. Little Navajo River
117. East Fork Navajo River
118. Los Pinos River
119. North Fork Los Pinos River
120. Rio Blanco
121. East Fork San Juan River
122. West Fork San Juan River
123. Wolf Creek

<big>Atlantic Ocean</big>

1. Gulf of Mexico
2. Mississippi River
3. Missouri River
4. Platte River
5. North Platte River 80,755&nbsp;km² (31,180&nbsp;mi²)
6. Laramie River 11,961&nbsp;km² (4,618&nbsp;mi²)
7. Sand Creek
8. West Branch Laramie River
9. North Fork West Branch Laramie River
10. Encampment River
11. West Fork Encampment River
12. Canadian River
13. North Fork Canadian River
14. South Fork Canadian River
15. Michigan River
16. Illinois River
17. North Fork Michigan River
18. South Fork Michigan River
19. Dry Fork Michigan River
20. North Fork North Platte River
21. South Platte River 62,738&nbsp;km² (24,223&nbsp;mi²)
22. Lodgepole Creek 8,374&nbsp;km² (3,233&nbsp;mi²)
23. Cache la Poudre River 4,959&nbsp;km² (1,915&nbsp;mi²)
24. North Fork Cache la Poudre River
25. South Fork Cache la Poudre River
26. Spring Creek
27. Crow Creek 3,717&nbsp;km² (1,435&nbsp;mi²)
28. Bijou Creek 3,612&nbsp;km² (1,395&nbsp;mi²)
29. Beaver Creek 2,939&nbsp;km² (1,135&nbsp;mi²)
30. Saint Vrain Creek 2,572&nbsp;km² (993&nbsp;mi²)
31. Boulder Creek 1,160&nbsp;km² (448&nbsp;mi²)
32. Left Hand Creek
33. Big Thompson River 2,149&nbsp;km² (830&nbsp;mi²)
34. Little Thompson River
35. North Fork Little Thompson River
36. West Fork Little Thompson River
37. Fall River
38. Roaring River
39. North Fork Big Thompson River
40. Aspen Brook
41. Wind River
42. Spruce Creek
43. Hidden River
44. Fish Creek
45. Sidney Draw 1,949&nbsp;km² (753&nbsp;mi²)
46. Box Elder Creek
47. Kiowa Creek 1,888&nbsp;km² (729&nbsp;mi²)
48. Pawnee Creek 1,875&nbsp;km² (724&nbsp;mi²)
49. Clear Creek 1,497&nbsp;km² (578&nbsp;mi²)
50. Ralston Creek
51. Fall River
52. Cherry Creek 1,050&nbsp;km² (405&nbsp;mi²)
53. Plum Creek
54. North Fork South Platte River
55. Geneva Creek
56. Middle Fork South Platte River
57. South Fork South Platte River
58. Lone Tree Creek
59. Owl Creek
60. Tarryall Creek
61. Sand Creek
62. Bear Creek 339&nbsp;km² (131&nbsp;mi²)
63. Big Dry Creek (Littleton, Colorado)
64. Big Dry Creek (Westminster, Colorado)
65. Little Dry Creek
66. Kansas River
67. Republican River
68. North Fork Republican River 13,172&nbsp;km² (5,086&nbsp;mi²)
69. Arikaree River 4,429&nbsp;km² (1,710&nbsp;mi²)
70. North Fork Arikaree River
71. Frenchman Creek 7,398&nbsp;km² (2,856&nbsp;mi²)
72. Sappa Creek
73. Beaver Creek
74. South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939&nbsp;km² (749&nbsp;mi²)
75. Little Beaver Creek 1,602&nbsp;km² (619&nbsp;mi²)
76. South Fork Republican River 7,195&nbsp;km² (2,778&nbsp;mi²)
77. Smoky Hill River 51,783&nbsp;km² (19,994&nbsp;mi²)
78. Ladder Creek 3,645&nbsp;km² (1,407&nbsp;mi²)
79. North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965&nbsp;km² (759&nbsp;mi²)
80. Arkansas River 478,501&nbsp;km² (184,750&nbsp;mi²)
81. Tennessee Creek
82. Lake Fork
83. Badger Creek
84. Beaver Creek
85. Canadian River 122,701&nbsp;km² (47,375&nbsp;mi²)
86. Vermejo River
87. North Fork Vermejo River
88. Cimarron River 44,890&nbsp;km² (17,332&nbsp;mi²)
89. North Fork Cimarron River 4,462&nbsp;km² (1,723&nbsp;mi²)
90. Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938&nbsp;km² (748&nbsp;mi²)
91. Purgatoire River 8,923&nbsp;km² (3,445&nbsp;mi²)
92. North Fork Purgatoire River
93. West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
94. Middle Fork Purgatoire River
95. South Fork Purgatoire River
96. Huerfano River 4,840&nbsp;km² (1,869&nbsp;mi²)
97. Cucharas River
98. Hill Branch Cucharas River
99. South Fork Cucharas River
100. South Fork Huerfano River
101. Big Sandy Creek 4,825&nbsp;km² (1,863&nbsp;mi²)
102. Rush Creek 3,570&nbsp;km² (1,378&nbsp;mi²)
103. Horse Creek 3,680&nbsp;km² (1,421&nbsp;mi²)
104. Apishapa River 2,798&nbsp;km² (1,080&nbsp;mi²)
105. North Fork Apishapa River
106. Fountain Creek 2,418&nbsp;km² (933&nbsp;mi²)
107. Shooks Run
108. Salt Creek
109. Two Butte Creek 2,107&nbsp;km² (814&nbsp;mi²)
110. Chico Creek 1,934&nbsp;km² (747&nbsp;mi²)
111. South Arkansas River
112. Middle Fork South Arkansas River
113. North Fork South Arkansas River
114. Grape Creek
115. Saint Charles River
116. North Saint Charles River
117. Greenhorn Creek
118. East Fork Arkansas River
119. Chalk Creek
120. Bear Creek Basin (endorheic basin)
121. Bear Creek 4,500&nbsp;km² (1,737&nbsp;mi²)
122. White Woman Basin (endorheic basin)
123. White Woman Creek 3,000&nbsp;km² (1,158&nbsp;mi²)
124. Rio Grande 457,275&nbsp;km² (176,555&nbsp;mi²)
125. Rio Chama 8,204&nbsp;km² (3,168&nbsp;mi²)
126. Rio Chamita
127. East Fork Rio Chama
128. West Fork Rio Chama
129. Conejos River 2,078&nbsp;km² (802&nbsp;mi²)
130. Rio San Antonio
131. Rio de los Pinos
132. North Fork Rio de los Pinos
133. Middle Fork Conejos River
134. North Branch Conejos River
135. North Fork Conejos River
136. South Fork Conejos River
137. Adams Fork Conejos River
138. South Fork Rio Grande
139. Alamosa River 383&nbsp;km² (148&nbsp;mi²)
140. Trinchera Creek
141. Sangre de Cristo Creek
142. Culebra Creek
143. Rito Seco
144. San Luis Closed Basin (endorheic basin)
145. San Luis Creek 7,000&nbsp;km² (2,703&nbsp;mi²)
146. Saguache Creek 3,482&nbsp;km² (1,345&nbsp;mi²)
147. 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 Colorado

Notes

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