Dry River (Crooked River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dry River |
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 Location of the mouth of Dry River in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Deschutes and Crook counties, |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Hampton Buttes Deschutes County, Oregon 5,886 ft (1,794 m) 43°46′56″N 120°16′44″W / 43.78222°N 120.27889°W |
| River mouth | Crooked River (Oregon) west of Prineville, Crook County, Oregon 2,782 ft (848 m) 44°20′10″N 121°02′50″W / 44.33611°N 121.04722°W |
| Length | 88 mi (142 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 752 sq mi (1,950 km2) |
The Dry River is a special kind of river in Oregon, USA. It's called an intermittent river. This means it doesn't always have water flowing in it. Sometimes it's completely dry!
This river is about 88 miles (142 km) long. It flows into the Crooked River.
Contents
Where Does the Dry River Start?
The Dry River begins near a place called Hampton Buttes. This is in eastern Deschutes County. It's close to the border with Crook County.
The area where it starts is part of the Oregon High Desert. This is a dry, open land.
How Does the Dry River Flow?
From its start, the Dry River generally flows towards the northwest. It follows the line between Deschutes and Crook counties.
- It sometimes crosses into Crook County.
- Then it might turn a bit south.
- After that, it goes back into Deschutes County.
As it flows, it often runs next to U.S. Route 20. It even passes under this highway several times!
Journey to the Crooked River
The river then turns sharply north. This happens near the Horse Ridge Research Natural Area. This spot is about 19 miles (31 km) southeast of Bend.
It continues north and goes back into Crook County. Along this path, it passes under a few more roads:
- Powell Butte Highway
- Oregon Route 126 (Ochoco Highway)
- Oregon Route 370 (O'Neil Highway)
Finally, the Dry River joins the Crooked River. This meeting point is about 34 miles (55 km) from where the Crooked River meets the Deschutes River.
Exploring the Dry River Canyon
Even when the Dry River is dry, its path is very clear. It runs through a channel that has walls made of basalt rock. This channel can be seen for over 50 miles (80 km)!
What is Dry River Canyon?
One special part of the river is called Dry River Canyon. This is a deep, carved section of the river bed. It's near a place called Millican.
People often use this canyon as a hiking path. It's about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) long.
How the Canyon Was Formed
The canyon was carved out a long, long time ago. This happened during the Pleistocene epoch. Back then, the climate was much wetter.
Water from a large lake, which is now gone, flowed through this area. This powerful water carved out the deep canyon. The canyon walls here can rise 300 feet (91 m) above the sandy river bed.
What Can You See in the Canyon?
When you explore Dry River Canyon, you might see:
- Large boulders (big rocks)
- Juniper trees
- Ancient Native American petroglyphs (rock carvings)
