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

    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 are shown in bold. Oceans and streams outside of Colorado are shown in italics.
Pacific Ocean
  1. Gulf of California
  2. #Colorado River
  3. ##Green River
  4. ###Yampa River 21,506 km2
  5. ####Little Snake River 10,629 km2
  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 km2
  18. ####Piceance Creek 1,630 km2
  19. ####Yellow Creek 760 km2
  20. ####North Fork White River
  21. ####South Fork White River
  22. ###Vermillion Creek 2,500 km2
  23. ##upper Colorado River, formerly the Grand River
  24. ###Gunnison River 20,851 km2
  25. ####Uncompahgre River 2,921 km2
  26. ####Tomichi Creek 2,874 km2
  27. #####Marshall Creek
  28. #####Cochetopa Creek
  29. #####Quartz Creek
  30. ####Cebolla Creek
  31. ####North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km2
  32. ####Smith Fork
  33. ####Blue Creek
  34. ####Lake Fork Gunnison River
  35. #####Henson Creek
  36. ####Taylor River 1,258 km2
  37. ####East River 762 km2
  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 km2
  47. ####San Miguel River 4,060 km2
  48. #####South Fork San Miguel River
  49. ####West Dolores River
  50. ####Rio Lado
  51. ###Roaring Fork River 3,766 km2
  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 km2
  67. ####Gore Creek
  68. ####Homestake Creek
  69. ####East Fork Eagle River
  70. ####South Fork Eagle River
  71. ###Blue River 1,770 km2
  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 km2
  95. ###Animas River 3,562 km2
  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 km2
  102. ###Mancos River 2,099 km2
  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 km2
  109. ###Piedra River 1,770 km2
  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
Atlantic Ocean
  1. Gulf of Mexico
  2. #Mississippi River
  3. ##Missouri River
  4. ###Platte River
  5. ####North Platte River 80,755 km2
  6. #####Laramie River 11,961 km2
  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 km2
  22. #####Lodgepole Creek 8,374 km2
  23. #####Cache la Poudre River 4,959 km2
  24. ######North Fork Cache la Poudre River
  25. ######South Fork Cache la Poudre River
  26. ######Spring Creek
  27. #####Crow Creek 3,717 km2
  28. #####Bijou Creek 3,612 km2
  29. #####Beaver Creek 2,939 km2
  30. #####Saint Vrain Creek 2,572 km2
  31. ######Boulder Creek 1,160 km2
  32. ######Left Hand Creek
  33. #####Big Thompson River 2,149 km2
  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 km2
  46. #####Box Elder Creek
  47. #####Kiowa Creek 1,888 km2
  48. #####Pawnee Creek 1,875 km2
  49. #####Clear Creek 1,497 km2
  50. ######Ralston Creek
  51. ######Fall River
  52. #####Cherry Creek 1,050 km2
  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 km2
  63. #####Big Dry Creek
  64. #####Big Dry Creek
  65. #####Little Dry Creek
  66. ###Kansas River
  67. ####Republican River
  68. #####North Fork Republican River 13,172 km2
  69. #####Arikaree River 4,429 km2
  70. ######North Fork Arikaree River
  71. #####Frenchman Creek 7,398 km2
  72. #####Sappa Creek
  73. ######Beaver Creek
  74. #######South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939 km2
  75. #######Little Beaver Creek 1,602 km2
  76. #####South Fork Republican River 7,195 km2
  77. ####Smoky Hill River 51,783 km2
  78. #####Ladder Creek 3,645 km2
  79. #####North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965 km2
  80. ##Arkansas River 478,501 km2
  81. ###Tennessee Creek
  82. ###Lake Fork
  83. ###Badger Creek
  84. ###Beaver Creek
  85. ###Canadian River 122,701 km2
  86. ####Vermejo River
  87. #####North Fork Vermejo River
  88. ###Cimarron River 44,890 km2
  89. ####North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km2
  90. #####Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km2
  91. ###Purgatoire River 8,923 km2
  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 km2
  97. ####Cucharas River
  98. #####Hill Branch Cucharas River
  99. #####South Fork Cucharas River
  100. ####South Fork Huerfano River
  101. ###Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km2
  102. ####Rush Creek 3,570 km2
  103. ###Horse Creek 3,680 km2
  104. ###Apishapa River 2,798 km2
  105. ####North Fork Apishapa River
  106. ###Fountain Creek 2,418 km2
  107. ####Shooks Run
  108. ###Salt Creek
  109. ###Two Butte Creek 2,107 km2
  110. ###Chico Creek 1,934 km2
  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. ###East Fork Arkansas River
  118. ###Chalk Creek
  119. ###Bear Creek Basin
  120. ####Bear Creek 4,500 km2
  121. ###White Woman Basin
  122. ####White Woman Creek 3,000 km2
  123. #Rio Grande 457,275 km2
  124. ##Rio Chama 8,204 km2
  125. ###Rio Chamita
  126. ###East Fork Rio Chama
  127. ###West Fork Rio Chama
  128. ##Conejos River 2,078 km2
  129. ###Rio San Antonio
  130. ####Rio de los Pinos
  131. #####North Fork Rio de los Pinos
  132. ###Middle Fork Conejos River
  133. ###North Branch Conejos River
  134. ###North Fork Conejos River
  135. ###South Fork Conejos River
  136. ###Adams Fork Conejos River
  137. ##South Fork Rio Grande
  138. ##Alamosa River 383 km2
  139. ##Trinchera Creek
  140. ###Sangre de Cristo Creek
  141. ##Culebra Creek
  142. ###Rito Seco
  143. ##San Luis Closed Basin
  144. ###San Luis Creek 7,000 km2
  145. ####Saguache Creek 3,482 km2
  146. ###Carnero Creek