The 10 Longest Rivers in the US in 2027
The Missouri River is the longest river in the US at 2,540 miles, followed by the Mississippi River at 2,340 miles and the Yukon River at 1,979 miles. The order follows main-stem length from US Geological Survey figures.
At a glance
| # | Pick | Length | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri River | 2,540 miles | Canoe trips through the White Cliffs of Montana |
| 2 | Mississippi River | 2,340 miles | River cruises and classic river towns |
| 3 | Yukon River | 1,979 miles | Long wilderness paddling trips |
| 4 | Rio Grande | 1,759 miles | Desert canyons in Big Bend |
| 5 | Colorado River | 1,450 miles | Rafting the Grand Canyon |
| 6 | Arkansas River | 1,443 miles | Whitewater rafting in Colorado |
| 7 | Columbia River | 1,243 miles | Windsurfing and waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge |
| 8 | Red River | 1,125 miles | Lake Texoma fishing and boating |
| 9 | Snake River | 1,040 miles | Floating beneath the Teton Range |
| 10 | Ohio River | 979 miles | River towns and barge traffic from Pittsburgh to Cairo |
Pick by what you want
The ranking
Missouri River
The Missouri River runs 2,540 miles from the Montana Rockies to the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis, making it the longest river in the country. Lewis and Clark followed it west, and parts of it are protected as a national recreational river.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River flows 2,340 miles from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main stem of the biggest river system in North America and passes river towns from Minneapolis to New Orleans.
Yukon River
The Yukon River runs 1,979 miles from British Columbia through the Yukon and across Alaska to the Bering Sea. It is famous from the Klondike Gold Rush and remains one of the wildest long rivers on the continent.
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande flows 1,759 miles from the Colorado Rockies through New Mexico and along the Texas-Mexico border to the Gulf of Mexico. Big Bend National Park protects some of its most dramatic canyons.
Colorado River
The Colorado River runs 1,450 miles from the Colorado Rockies through Utah and Arizona, including the Grand Canyon, toward the Gulf of California in Mexico. It supplies water to tens of millions of people across the Southwest.
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River flows 1,443 miles from the Colorado Rockies across Kansas and Oklahoma to the Mississippi River in Arkansas. Its upper canyons in Colorado are some of the busiest rafting stretches in the country.
Columbia River
The Columbia River runs 1,243 miles from British Columbia through Washington and along the Oregon border to the Pacific Ocean. The Columbia River Gorge is known for waterfalls, hiking and some of the best windsurfing in the world.
Red River
The Red River of the South flows 1,125 miles from the Texas Panhandle along the Texas-Oklahoma border and through Arkansas and Louisiana. It gets its name and color from the red clay it carries.
Snake River
The Snake River runs 1,040 miles from Yellowstone through Idaho and along the Oregon border to the Columbia River in Washington. It flows past the Teton Range and through Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America.
Ohio River
The Ohio River flows 979 miles from Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet, to the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois. It forms the border of five states and is one of the busiest commercial waterways in the country.
How we ranked these
Questions people ask
What is the longest river in the US?
The Missouri River, at 2,540 miles. The Mississippi River is second at 2,340 miles.
Why is the Missouri longer than the Mississippi?
Measured on its own main stem, the Missouri River runs 2,540 miles before it joins the Mississippi near St. Louis, while the Mississippi main stem is 2,340 miles. Together they form one of the longest river systems in the world.
What is the longest river in Alaska?
The Yukon River, at 1,979 miles from British Columbia through the Yukon and Alaska to the Bering Sea.
Which of these rivers are shared with other countries?
The Yukon and Columbia start in Canada, and the Rio Grande and Colorado River reach into Mexico.
Where do these lengths come from?
They are main-stem lengths published by the US Geological Survey, as listed in the sources.
Length (miles) at a glance
Official sites
- Missouri River · nps.gov
- Mississippi River · nps.gov
- Yukon River · nps.gov
- Rio Grande · nps.gov
- Colorado River · nps.gov
- Arkansas River · fs.usda.gov
- Columbia River · fs.usda.gov
- Red River · swt.usace.army.mil
- Snake River · nps.gov
- Ohio River · lrd.usace.army.mil
Sources
Photos: commons.wikimedia.org (credits under each photo).
River lengths are long-standing USGS measurements.