Did you know that the USA has over 250,000 rivers? Some of the rivers are very long and others are tiny. Rivers can come in handy because they help with providing a great deal of drinking water, they also help with transportation, drainage, electrical power, food and of course, provide some fun with recreation activities that you can do at the river. Another thing about rivers is that they can erode and can form some amazing wanders such as waterfalls and the Grand Canyon.
Here are the 10 Longest Rivers in the USA:
10. The Missouri River
It’s one of the longest rivers in the USA at exactly 2,540 miles. It begins in Montana at the Rocky Mountains and then it flows directly into the Mississippi River, nearby St.Louis, Missouri. People have depended on this river for over 12,000 years. It has been a great source of transportation and much more. In the 18th century, the Missouri River became popular for fur trappers. They would go up and down the river hoping to find the otters and beavers to do fur trade in North America. People did not stay long due to the fact that the river did not have a lot of valuable resources to help them with what they wanted.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
9. The Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is not only the second longest river in the world but it’s also one of the biggest drainage systems within North America. The river starts at Lake Itasca which is located in Northwestern Minnesota and ends at the Gulf of Mexico located in Southern Louisiana. The watershed of the Mississippi River is actually the fourth biggest one within the USA. It makes up for at least 25% of the fish species that’s in North America. The Upper Mississippi river also has over 145 reptiles and amphibians that inhabit the area.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
8. The Yukon River
One of the major watercourses that is in the north western part of North America is the Yukon River. It starts at the Llewellyn Glacier which is at the Atlin Lake located in Northwestern British Columbia and it ends at the Bering Sea. Many people travel to the Yukon to camp at the river. The river has a high content of minerals and this makes the color of the river have a greenish look to it. The longest salmon in the world makes the Yukon River its home.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
7. Rio Grande River
It is said that the Rio Grande River is either the fourth or maybe the 5th river that’s the longest in the USA. The reason as to why there is a debate as to rather it’s the 4th or 5th is because of the river is measured. The base of where the river starts is in Colorado at the Canby Mountain and it goes into the Gulf of Mexico, South of Brownsville Texas. The Rio Grande is made up of stone plus water. The canyon walls are stunning and the rapids are swift. However, visitors should never drink the water because it’s not safe.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
6. St. Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River starts at the ending of Lake Ontario and dumps itself into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St Lawrence. North of Quebec City the river becomes very wide and it’s great to look at when traveling in that area. The St. Lawrence River is also known for its whales. Some of the whales found in this area include the Beluga Whale, Sperm Whale, Fin Whale, Minke Whale, the Northern Atlantic Right Whale and the Northern Bottlenose Whale. The river was also in the Canadian TV drama called Seaway and it’s been in paintings. One popular painting that includes the river is the: “Vittorio Miele, Il S. Lorenzo (The Saint Lawrence River), 1975 painting.” Vittorio Miele dedicated a lot of his works in honor of the St. Lawrence River.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
5. Arkansas River
The Arkansas River starts at the Rocky Mountains and then it merges up with the Mississippi river near Arkansas. Ever since 1973, people go to the Arkansas River in Colorado for tours and whitewater rafting. It’s one of the most popular rivers in Colorado. People go camping and do a variety of activities near the river. It is believed that the Spanish Explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado crossed the Arkansas River.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
4. Colorado River
The Colorado River starts at the La Poudre Pass Lake that is located in Rocky Mountains in Northern Colorado. It ends between Sonora, which is Mexico and in Baja California. The Colorado River runs through the canyons, deserts and over the falls and then it goes into some beautiful wetlands for a very long time. However, due to dams and diverting the river’s flow it has now changed but the river itself is still incredible and people sail and do other water activities on the river.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
3. The Atchafalaya River
The Atchafalaya River starts in Curry, County New Mexico and then it ends in the Gulf of Mexico. The rivers name means “long river” and it comes from the word Choctaw. The word hachcha means river and the word falaya means long.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
2. Columbia River
The Columbia River is one of the largest rivers that runs through the Pacific Northwest Region. The river empties itself at the Pacific Ocean. According the volume of the Columbia River it is considered to be the fourth largest River that is within the USA. The Columbia was used often for transpiration and steam boats.
Photo Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River#mediaviewer/File:ColumbiaGorge_CapeHorn.jpg
1. The Red River of the South
The Red River of the South starts at the famous Two Forks being Oklahoma and Texas. The Oklahoma Fork is known as Buck Creek and then the Texas Fork is known as Prairie Dog. When the two forks meet up then the Red River begins. It ends at the Mississippi River and in the Atchafalaya River.
Photo Source: wikipedia.org
Conclusion
If you are into nature and doing water activates such as white water rafting, you might want to consider planning a trip to one of these rivers and checking it out.