List of rivers of Colorado


This is a list of streams in the U.S. state of Colorado.

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. Alamosa River 383 km2
  3. Animas River 3,562 km2
  4. Apishapa River 2,798 km2
  5. Arikaree River 4,429 km2
  6. Arkansas River 478,501 km2
  7. Aspen Brook
  8. Bear Creek 4,500 km2
  9. Bear Creek 339 km2
  10. Bear River
  11. Beaver Creek 2,939 km2
  12. Big Dry Creek
  13. Big Dry Creek
  14. Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km2
  15. Big Thompson River 2,149 km2
  16. Bijou Creek 3,612 km2
  17. Blue Creek
  18. Blue River 1,770 km2
  19. Box Elder Creek
  20. Boulder Creek
  21. Cache la Poudre River 4,959 km2
  22. Canadian River 122,701 km2
  23. Canadian River
  24. Cebolla Creek
  25. Chalk Creek
  26. Cherry Creek 1,050 km2
  27. Chico Creek 1,934 km2
  28. Cimarron River 44,890 km2
  29. Cimarron River
  30. Clear Creek 1,497 km2
  31. Cochetopa Creek
  32. Colorado River
  33. Conejos River 2,078 km2
  34. Crow Creek 3,717 km2
  35. Crystal River
  36. Cucharas River
  37. Culebra Creek
  38. Dolores River 11,998 km2
  39. Dry Fork Michigan River
  40. Eagle River 2,515 km2
  41. East Fork Arkansas River
  42. East Fork Cimarron River
  43. East Fork Eagle River
  44. East Fork Little Cimarron River
  45. East Fork Navajo River
  46. East Fork Piedra River
  47. East Fork Rio Chama
  48. East Fork San Juan River
  49. East Fork South Fork Crystal River
  50. East Mancos River
  51. East River 762 km2
  52. Elk River
  53. Encampment River
  54. Fall River
  55. Fall River
  56. First Fork Piedra River
  57. First Fork South Fork Piney River
  58. Florida River
  59. Fountain Creek 2,418 km2
  60. Fraser River
  61. Frenchman Creek 7,398 km2
  62. Fryingpan River
  63. Geneva Creek
  64. Gore Creek
  65. Grape Creek
  66. Green River
  67. Gunnison River
  68. Henson Creek
  69. Hermosa Creek
  70. Hidden River
  71. Hill Branch Cucharas River
  72. Horse Creek 3,680 km2
  73. Huerfano River 4,840 km2
  74. Illinois River
  75. Kettle Creek
  76. Kiowa Creek 1,888 km2
  77. La Plata River
  78. Ladder Creek 3,645 km2
  79. Lake Fork Gunnison River
  80. Laramie River 11,961 km2
  81. Left Hand Creek
  82. Little Beaver Creek 1,602 km2
  83. Little Cimarron River
  84. Little Dolores River
  85. Little Dry Creek
  86. Little Navajo River
  87. Little Snake River 10,629 km2
  88. Little Thompson River
  89. Lodgepole Creek 8,374 km2
  90. Lone Tree Creek
  91. Los Pinos River
  92. Mancos River 2,099 km2
  93. McElmo Creek 1,842 km2
  94. Michigan River
  95. Middle Fork Cimarron River
  96. Middle Fork Conejos River
  97. Middle Fork Elk River
  98. Middle Fork Little Snake River
  99. Middle Fork Piedra River
  100. Middle Fork Purgatoire River
  101. Middle Fork South Arkansas River
  102. Middle Fork South Platte River
  103. Middle Fork Swan River
  104. Middle Mancos River
  105. Montezuma Creek 3,044 km2
  106. Muddy Creek
  107. Navajo River
  108. North Branch Conejos River
  109. North Fork Animas River
  110. North Fork Apishapa River
  111. North Fork Arikaree River
  112. North Fork Big Thompson River
  113. North Fork Cache la Poudre River
  114. North Fork Canadian River
  115. North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km2
  116. North Fork Conejos River
  117. North Fork Crystal River
  118. North Fork Elk River
  119. North Fork Fryingpan River
  120. North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km2
  121. North Fork Little Snake River
  122. North Fork Little Thompson River
  123. North Fork Los Pinos River
  124. North Fork Michigan River
  125. North Fork North Platte River
  126. North Fork Piney River
  127. North Fork Purgatoire River
  128. North Fork Republican River 13,172 km2
  129. North Fork Rio de los Piños
  130. North Fork Smoky Hill River 1,965 km2
  131. North Fork Snake River
  132. North Fork South Arkansas River
  133. North Fork South Platte River
  134. North Fork Swan River
  135. North Fork Vermejo River
  136. North Fork West Branch Laramie River
  137. North Fork West Mancos River
  138. North Fork White River
  139. North Platte River 80,755 km2
  140. North Saint Charles River
  141. Owl Creek
  142. Parachute Creek
  143. Pawnee Creek 1,875 km2
  144. Piceance Creek 1,630 km2
  145. Piedra River 1,770 km2
  146. Piney River
  147. Plateau Creek
  148. Plum Creek
  149. Purgatoire River 8,923 km2
  150. Quartz Creek
  151. Ralston Creek
  152. Rio Blanco
  153. Rio Chama 8,204 km2
  154. Rio Chamita
  155. Rio de los Piños
  156. Rio Grande 457,275 km2
  157. Rio Lado
  158. Rio San Antonio
  159. Roan Creek
  160. Roaring Fork Little Snake River
  161. Roaring Fork River 3,766 km2
  162. Roaring River
  163. Rush Creek 3,570 km2
  164. Saguache Creek 3,482 km2
  165. Saint Charles River
  166. Saint Vrain Creek 2,572 km2
  167. San Juan River 64,560 km2
  168. San Luis Creek 7,000 km2
  169. San Miguel River 4,060 km2
  170. Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km2
  171. Sand Creek
  172. Sand Creek
  173. Sand Creek
  174. Sangre de Cristo Creek
  175. Sidney Draw 1,949 km2
  176. Slate River
  177. Smith Fork
  178. Smoky Hill River 51,783 km2
  179. Snake River
  180. South Arkansas River
  181. South Fork Animas River
  182. South Fork Beaver Creek 1,939 km2
  183. South Fork Cache la Poudre River
  184. South Fork Canadian River
  185. South Fork Conejos River
  186. South Fork Crystal River
  187. South Fork Cucharas River
  188. South Fork Eagle River
  189. South Fork Elk River
  190. South Fork Fryingpan River
  191. South Fork Huerfano River
  192. South Fork Little Snake River
  193. South Fork Michigan River
  194. South Fork Piney River
  195. South Fork Purgatoire River
  196. South Fork Republican River 7,195 km2
  197. South Fork Rio Grande
  198. South Fork San Miguel River
  199. South Fork South Platte River
  200. South Fork Swan River
  201. South Fork West Mancos River
  202. South Fork White River
  203. South Platte River 62,738 km2
  204. Spring Creek
  205. Spruce Creek
  206. Stoner Creek
  207. Swan River
  208. Tarryall Creek
  209. Taylor River 1,258 km2
  210. Tenmile Creek
  211. Tennessee Creek
  212. Tomichi Creek 2,874 km2
  213. Trinchera Creek
  214. Two Butte Creek 2,107 km2
  215. Uncompahgre River 2,921 km2
  216. Vermillion Creek 2,500 km2
  217. West Branch Laramie River
  218. West Dolores River
  219. West Fork Animas River
  220. West Fork Cimarron River
  221. West Fork Elk River
  222. West Fork Encampment River
  223. West Fork Little Thompson River
  224. West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
  225. West Fork Rio Chama
  226. West Fork San Juan River
  227. West Mancos River
  228. White River 12,989 km2
  229. White Woman Creek 3,000 km2
  230. Williams Fork
  231. Williams Fork
  232. Willow Creek
  233. Wind River
  234. Wolf Creek
  235. Yampa River 21,506 km2
  236. 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. #####Williams Fork
  11. ####Bear River
  12. ####Elk River
  13. #####South Fork Elk River
  14. #####Middle Fork Elk River
  15. #####North Fork Elk River
  16. ###White River 12,989 km2
  17. ####Piceance Creek 1,630 km2
  18. ####Yellow Creek 760 km2
  19. ####North Fork White River
  20. ####South Fork White River
  21. ###Vermillion Creek 2,500 km2
  22. ##upper Colorado River
  23. ###Gunnison River 20,851 km2
  24. ####Uncompahgre River 2,921 km2
  25. ####Tomichi Creek 2,874 km2
  26. #####Cochetopa Creek
  27. #####Quartz Creek
  28. ####North Fork Gunnison River 2,492 km2
  29. ####Smith Fork
  30. ####Blue Creek
  31. ####Lake Fork Gunnison River
  32. #####Henson Creek
  33. ####Taylor River 1,258 km2
  34. ####East River 762 km2
  35. #####Slate River
  36. ####Cimarron River
  37. #####Little Cimarron River
  38. ######East Fork Little Cimarron River
  39. #####East Fork Cimarron River
  40. #####Middle Fork Cimarron River
  41. #####West Fork Cimarron River
  42. ###Dolores River 11,998 km2
  43. ####San Miguel River 4,060 km2
  44. #####South Fork San Miguel River
  45. ####West Dolores River
  46. ####Rio Lado
  47. ###Roaring Fork River 3,766 km2
  48. ####Crystal River
  49. #####North Fork Crystal River
  50. #####South Fork Crystal River
  51. ######East Fork South Fork Crystal River
  52. ####Fryingpan River
  53. #####North Fork Fryingpan River
  54. #####South Fork Fryingpan River
  55. ###Eagle River 2,515 km2
  56. ####Gore Creek
  57. ####East Fork Eagle River
  58. ####South Fork Eagle River
  59. ###Blue River 1,770 km2
  60. ####Snake River
  61. #####North Fork Snake River
  62. ####Tenmile Creek
  63. ####Swan River
  64. #####Middle Fork Swan River
  65. #####North Fork Swan River
  66. #####South Fork Swan River
  67. ###Little Dolores River
  68. ###Fraser River
  69. ###Williams Fork
  70. ###Piney River
  71. ####North Fork Piney River
  72. ####South Fork Piney River
  73. #####First Fork South Fork Piney River
  74. ###Parachute Creek
  75. ###Roan Creek
  76. ###Plateau Creek
  77. ###Muddy Creek
  78. ###Willow Creek
  79. ##San Juan River 64,560 km2
  80. ###Animas River 3,562 km2
  81. ####Hermosa Creek
  82. ####Florida River
  83. ####North Fork Animas River
  84. ####South Fork Animas River
  85. ####West Fork Animas River
  86. ###Montezuma Creek 3,044 km2
  87. ###Mancos River 2,099 km2
  88. ####East Mancos River
  89. #####Middle Mancos River
  90. ####West Mancos River
  91. #####North Fork West Mancos River
  92. #####South Fork West Mancos River
  93. ###McElmo Creek 1,842 km2
  94. ###Piedra River 1,770 km2
  95. ####First Fork Piedra River
  96. ####East Fork Piedra River
  97. ####Middle Fork Piedra River
  98. ###La Plata River
  99. ###Navajo River
  100. ####Little Navajo River
  101. ####East Fork Navajo River
  102. ###Los Pinos River
  103. ####North Fork Los Pinos River
  104. ###Rio Blanco
  105. ###East Fork San Juan River
  106. ###West Fork San Juan River
  107. ####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. ###Canadian River 122,701 km2
  83. ####Vermejo River
  84. #####North Fork Vermejo River
  85. ###Cimarron River 44,890 km2
  86. ####North Fork Cimarron River 4,462 km2
  87. #####Sand Arroyo Creek 1,938 km2
  88. ###Purgatoire River 8,923 km2
  89. ####North Fork Purgatoire River
  90. #####West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River
  91. ####Middle Fork Purgatoire River
  92. ####South Fork Purgatoire River
  93. ###Huerfano River 4,840 km2
  94. ####Cucharas River
  95. #####Hill Branch Cucharas River
  96. #####South Fork Cucharas River
  97. ####South Fork Huerfano River
  98. ###Big Sandy Creek 4,825 km2
  99. ####Rush Creek 3,570 km2
  100. ###Horse Creek 3,680 km2
  101. ###Apishapa River 2,798 km2
  102. ####North Fork Apishapa River
  103. ###Fountain Creek 2,418 km2
  104. ###Two Butte Creek 2,107 km2
  105. ###Chico Creek 1,934 km2
  106. ###South Arkansas River
  107. ####Middle Fork South Arkansas River
  108. ####North Fork South Arkansas River
  109. ###Grape Creek
  110. ###Saint Charles River
  111. ####North Saint Charles River
  112. ###East Fork Arkansas River
  113. ###Chalk Creek
  114. ###Bear Creek Basin
  115. ####Bear Creek 4,500 km2
  116. ###White Woman Basin
  117. ####White Woman Creek 3,000 km2
  118. #Rio Grande 457,275 km2
  119. ##Rio Chama 8,204 km2
  120. ###Rio Chamita
  121. ###East Fork Rio Chama
  122. ###West Fork Rio Chama
  123. ##Conejos River 2,078 km2
  124. ###Rio San Antonio
  125. ####Rio de los Piños
  126. #####North Fork Rio de los Piños
  127. ###Middle Fork Conejos River
  128. ###North Branch Conejos River
  129. ###North Fork Conejos River
  130. ###South Fork Conejos River
  131. ###Adams Fork Conejos River
  132. ##South Fork Rio Grande
  133. ##Alamosa River 383 km2
  134. ##Trinchera Creek
  135. ###Sangre de Cristo Creek
  136. ##San Luis Closed Basin
  137. ###San Luis Creek 7,000 km2
  138. ####Saguache Creek 3,482 km2