California Rivers
Open a river for its map, facts and the lakes on it.
Sacramento River
California's largest river runs from the Mount Shasta area through Dunsmuir and Shasta Lake, then down the Sacramento Valley past Redding, Red Bluff, Colusa and Sacramento into the Delta and Suisun Bay.
366 milesSan Joaquin River
The San Joaquin falls out of the high Sierra into Millerton Lake, passes north of Fresno, then turns north through the San Joaquin Valley past Mendota and Stockton into the Delta.
257 milesKlamath River
From Klamath Falls, the Klamath cuts through rugged canyon country of southern Oregon and northern California past Happy Camp, Somes Bar, Orleans and Weitchpec to the Pacific south of Crescent City.
1,450 milesColorado River
The Colorado drops from the Rockies past Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Moab, carves the Grand Canyon, then runs along the Arizona-Nevada-California line past Laughlin, Lake Havasu City, Needles and Yuma toward Mexico.
207 milesPit River
The Pit crosses northeastern California from Alturas past Canby, Bieber and Fall River Mills, then descends through Lake Britton and a series of hydro projects into the longest arm of Shasta Lake.
about 73 milesFeather River
The Feather's North, Middle and South forks drain the northern Sierra into Lake Oroville; below the dam the main stem runs south past Oroville, Yuba City and Marysville to the Sacramento.
115 milesRussian River
Runs south through Mendocino County past Ukiah and Hopland, through the Alexander Valley to Cloverdale and Healdsburg, then bends west past Guerneville to reach the Pacific at Jenner. Lake Mendocino sits near its upper end.
30 milesAmerican River
Fed by North, Middle and South forks draining the Sierra Nevada, the river gathers in Folsom Lake, then runs below Folsom past Fair Oaks through a long urban parkway to meet the Sacramento River downtown.
about 164 milesKern River
Drops south out of the high Sierra through deep canyons to Kernville and Lake Isabella, then tumbles southwest through a steep canyon to Bakersfield, where canals draw off most of its water in the San Joaquin Valley.
about 196 milesEel River
A long North Coast river that winds through rugged canyons from Lake Pillsbury past Dos Rios and Alderpoint, then northwest through redwood country near Weott, Scotia and Fortuna to a broad estuary on the Pacific.