30 Longest Rivers in the U.S., Ranked

Rivers crisscross our nation, creating beautiful landscapes abundant with wildlife, providing fresh drinking water to communities and irrigation for crops, and serving as water highways to move cargo across and between states. They are also sources of recreation, where visitors can kayak, raft, fish and take a dip to cool off during warm weather hikes.

But which of the more than 250,000 rivers found in the U.S. are the longest? Here, we highlight the 30 that stretch the most miles across the country.

30. Smoky Hill River

Length: 576 miles

Mouth: Kansas River

States it runs through: Colorado, Kansas

What Makes the River So Impressive

The Smoky Hill River’s riverfront trail provided a shortcut for prospectors across Kansas during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush.

Often flooding, the river was dammed to manage it in 1948, creating the 3,500-acre Kanopolis Lake, which is now a state park with an additional 12,500-acre wildlife area.

29. Tanana River

Length: 584 miles

Mouth: Yukon River

State it runs through: Alaska

What Makes the River So Impressive

A tributary of the Yukon River in Alaska, the Tanana River’s name comes from Native Koyukon and means “trail river.”

The river also has a place in gold-rush history, as its valley was filled by prospectors in 1904 and is today a part of the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge and Tanana Valley State Forest.

28. Sheyenne River

Length: 591 miles

Mouth: Red River

State it runs through: North Dakota

What Makes the River So Impressive

The longest river solely running through North Dakota, the Sheyenne is a part of the Sheyenne National Grassland, one of the state’s last tallgrass prairies.

The river is named after the Cheyenne Indians and is one of the Red River’s main tributaries.

27. Gila River

Length: 600 miles

Mouth: Colorado River

States it runs through: Arizona, New Mexico

What Makes the River So Impressive

One of the longest rivers in the West, the Gila River often drains halfway before it ends due to its desert location.

Several dams and diversions for farm irrigation across Arizona have continued to shorten its once-strong river flow.

26. Saint Lawrence River

Length: 600 miles

Mouth: Atlantic Ocean

States it runs through: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

What Makes the River So Impressive

Connecting the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, the Saint Lawrence River was crucial for trade, exploration and expansion across Canada and the U.S.

Still an oft-traveled bi-national waterway, the river provides drinking water to communities and is popular for river cruises and tourism.

25. Ouachita River

Length: 605 miles

Mouth: Black River

States it runs through: Arkansas, Louisiana

What Makes the River So Impressive

After flood-control dams were added to the Ouachita River, three reservoirs were created featuring wooded islands and crystal-clear water popular for recreation.

Besides kayaking and fishing, the river provides whitewater rafting in some areas of Arkansas.

24. Milk River

Length: 625 miles

Mouth: Missouri River

State it runs through: Montana

What Makes the River So Impressive

Explorer Meriwether Lewis remarked that the Milk River looked like milky tea when on his western expedition, but the native people called the river “Minitares,” which means “the river that scolds at all others.”

Despite its name, the Milk River is actually browner in color, as it flows from the mountains of Montana, taking soil and rock with it on the journey to lower ground.

23. North Platte River

Length: 665 miles

Mouth: Missouri River

States it runs through: Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming

What Makes the River So Impressive

Wyoming’s only river waterway, the North Platte River is a destination fishery operated by the Game and Fish Department.

Anglers will find rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout in the Blue Ribbon-awarded fishery.

22. Yellowstone River

Length: 678 miles

Mouth: Missouri River

States it runs through: Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming

What Makes the River So Impressive

One of the prettiest waterways in the West, Yellowstone is the longest free-flowing river in the continental United States, as one of the last undammed rivers.

It features rafting, fishing, kayaking and other recreational activities as part of Yellowstone National Park.

21. Cumberland River

Length: 696 miles

Mouth: Ohio River

States it runs through: Kentucky, Tennessee

What Makes the River So Impressive

The Cumberland River is also an active recreational river found in the southeastern U.S.

One of the premier trout destinations, the river flows through Daniel Boone National Forest and offers canoeing, kayaking and river rafting fun.

20. Cimarron River

Length: 698 miles

Mouth: Arkansas River

States it runs through: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma

What Makes the River So Impressive

Most of the Cimarron River is found in Oklahoma and was used by Spanish explorers in the 1500s.

In New Mexico, the river is referred to as the Dry Cimarron River, as it disappears beneath the sand of the river bed.

19. Kuskokwim River

Length: 702 miles

Mouth: Bering Sea

State it runs through: Alaska

What Makes the River So Impressive

Nicknamed the Kusko River and natively known as Kusquqvak, Kuskokwim is part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

The river’s plentiful fishing has been a feature of federal, state and local battles as of late, with concerns as to how it can be used.

18. James River

Length: 710 miles

Mouth: Missouri River

States it runs through: North and South Dakota

What Makes the River So Impressive

Not to be confused with the river of the same name in Virginia (which is half the size), this tributary of the Missouri river flows through the Dakotas and is also known as the Jim River or the Dakota River.

It is a wildlife habitat, popular with anglers, and considered the slowest-running river in the U.S.

17. White River

Length: 720 miles

Mouth: Mississippi River

States it runs through: Arkansas, Missouri

What Makes the River So Impressive

Originating in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, the White River is a main tributary of Beaver Lake, which provides drinking water to nearly half a million people in Arkansas.

It is also a premier fly- and trout-fishing destination in its mountainous origins.

16. Pecos River

Length: 730 miles

Mouth: Rio Grande

States it runs through: New Mexico, Texas

What Makes the River So Impressive

Running parallel to the Rio Grande for much of its journey in the Southwest, the river is the “only river that crosses itself.” When settlers created an irrigation canal in the Pecos Valley, they created a flume to carry the water through the canal and crossed it over a river bend.

It was made famous for this distinction by Ripley’s Believe It or Not and has been a unique trivia answer on "Jeopardy."

15. Green River

Length: 760 miles

Mouth: Colorado River

States it runs through: Utah, Wyoming

What Makes the River So Impressive

Carving through red mountains in Utah near Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks, the Green River may not be as famous as the Colorado cutting through the Grand Canyon, but it should be.

River rafting along this river is just as scenic and, in rapids, exhilarating.

14. Brazos River

Length: 860 miles

Mouth: Gulf of Mexico

State it runs through: Texas

What Makes the River So Impressive

Called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by Spanish explorers, meaning the “river of the arms of God,” Brazos is one of the longest rivers in Texas. The river forks three times as it flows southeast to the Gulf of Mexico.

During hot summer months, tubing down the river is a popular pastime, especially in Brazos Bend State Park, located outside of Houston.

13. Canadian River

Length: 906 miles

Mouth: Arkansas River

States it runs through: Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas

What Makes the River So Impressive

Don’t let its name fool you: The Canadian River is found in the southern U.S., where it is the longest tributary to the Arkansas River.

The river got its name from French traders who encountered Canadian traders encamped around its banks.

12. Tennessee River

Length: 935 miles

Mouth: Ohio River

States it runs through: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee

What Makes the River So Impressive

The largest tributary to the Ohio River, the Tennessee River is named for a Cherokee village near its shores: Tanasi.

However, there is evidence of people who lived in the Tennessee River Valley dating back at least 8,000 years.

11. Colorado River of Texas

Length: 970 miles

Mouth: Gulf of Mexico

State it runs through: Texas

What Makes the River So Impressive

There is more than one Colorado River in the U.S. (the more famous appearing higher on this list), earning its name from the Spanish for being the “color red” after flowing through red rock canyons.

In Texas, the Colorado is the longest river to start and end in the same state.

10. Ohio River

Length: 979 miles

Mouth: Mississippi River

States it runs through: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

What Makes the River So Impressive

Flowing through six states, the Ohio River is one of the biggest tributaries to the Mississippi River and once served as the southern border of what was known as the Northwest Territory in the late 18th century.

A series of 20 different dams can be found along the river, each controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers.

9. Snake River

Length: 1,040 miles

Mouth: Columbia River

States it runs through: Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming

What Makes the River So Impressive

One of the most scenic rivers in the country, the Snake River is also the largest tributary to the Columbia River, snaking its way through canyons and hills. Several recreational areas surround various parts of the river, where camping, rafting and fishing are popular.

However, fishing was greatly impacted when four dams were added to the river in the 1960s and '70s, and there's talk of removing some of them to bring the river back to life.

8. Red River

Length: 1,360 miles

Mouth: Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers

States it runs through: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma

What Makes the River So Impressive

Much of the Red River serves as a boundary between Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and is actually a saltwater river. This is due to the salt deposits left behind during prehistoric times that leeches into the river.

It gets its reddish-brown color due to the red-hued silt of its river bed.

7. Columbia River

Length: 1,243 miles

Mouth: Pacific Ocean

States it runs through: Oregon, Washington

What Makes the River So Impressive

The largest river by sheer volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia’s might has been harnessed by dams to create electricity for billions. In fact, the river's John Day Dam in Oregon and Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams in Washington are three of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the U.S.

The Grand Coulee generates 21 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year, while Chief Joseph generates nearly 9.8 million, and the John Day generates nearly 2.5 million.

6. Arkansas River

Length: 1,443 miles

Mouth: Mississippi River

States it runs through: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma

What Makes the River So Impressive

Dating back 29 million years, the Arkansas River shaped the landscape of the states it flows through, beginning in the mountains of Colorado on its way to the Mississippi River.

Its Rocky Mountain origins keep the river flowing with melted snow, and visitors enjoy whitewater rafting in its cool waters. It has also been deemed one of the best trout streams in the U.S.

5. Colorado River

Length: 1,450 miles

Mouth: Gulf of California

States it runs through: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah

What Makes the River So Impressive

One of the biggest rivers in the country is famous for carving the Grand Canyon over its 10 million-year history.

Flowing through 11 national parks and monuments, the river reaches depths of up to 85 feet and provides irrigation to arid southwestern communities.

4. Rio Grande

Length: 1,759 miles

Mouth: Gulf of Mexico

States it runs through: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas

What Makes the River So Impressive

Rightfully named for its size, the Rio Grande is known as the Rio Bravo in Mexico and serves as a natural border between the U.S. and its southern neighbor. The river supports 120 different species of fish — 70 of which can only be found in North America.

Plus, 15 dams along the river help provide irrigation.

3. Yukon River

Length: 1,979 miles

Mouth: Bering Sea

State it runs through: Alaska

What Makes the River So Impressive

Originating in British Columbia, the Yukon is not only the third-longest in the U.S. but also in North America, and it's Canada’s second-longest river. Although dammed in multiple places, the river is not a major hydroelectric power source, in spite of its size.

It also receives fishing restrictions due to low populations of salmon and other fish, with exceptions in its more remote wilderness locations.

2. Mississippi River

Length: 2,340 miles

Mouth: Gulf of Mexico

States it runs through: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin

What Makes the River So Impressive

Despite being one of the most famous rivers in the world and stretching through 10 states, the Mighty Mississippi River is only the second-longest in the U.S. While the river is used primarily as one of the world’s biggest water highways, it is also a source of drinking water for millions of people.

Hundreds of books have been written with the river as a backdrop character, including "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," and steamboat cruise ships still take passengers on slow-moving expeditions.

1. Missouri River

Length: 2,341 miles

Mouth: Mississippi River

States it runs through: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

What Makes the River So Impressive

Originating in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and carrying with it the melt of winter snow, America's longest river travels across seven states to join the Mississippi River in Missouri, just north of St. Louis.

More than 12,000 years old, the Missouri was a source of western exploration by European settlers and became a part of the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase.