List of rivers of Idaho facts for kids

Idaho is a state in the United States known for its amazing mountains and many rivers. These rivers are super important! They help shape the land, provide homes for animals, and are used by people for fun activities like fishing and rafting. This article will tell you about some of the main rivers in Idaho.

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Idaho's River Basins

Rivers flow into larger rivers, and eventually, into an ocean or a lake. A "drainage basin" is like a giant bowl where all the rain and snowmelt collect and flow into one main river. Idaho's rivers belong to different basins.

Rivers Flowing to the Pacific Ocean

Most of Idaho's rivers eventually reach the Pacific Ocean. They do this by joining the mighty Columbia River in Washington state. The biggest river in Idaho, the Snake River, is a major part of this system.

The Snake River and Its Branches

The Snake River is a huge river that winds through Idaho. Many other rivers flow into it. Think of it like a tree trunk with many branches!

• Clearwater River: This river is known for its beautiful, clear water. It has many smaller rivers joining it, like the North Fork Clearwater River and the Middle Fork Clearwater River.
  • Lapwai Creek
  • Potlatch River
    • Pine Creek
  • North Fork Clearwater River
    • Elk Creek
    • Little North Fork Clearwater River
  • Middle Fork Clearwater River
    • Lochsa River
    • Selway River
• Salmon River: Often called "The River of No Return," the Salmon River is one of the longest rivers entirely within one state. It's famous for its wild rapids and for being a home to salmon.
  • Little Salmon River
  • South Fork Salmon River
    • Secesh River
  • Middle Fork Salmon River
    • Big Creek
• Payette River: This river is popular for whitewater rafting and kayaking. It has three main forks: the North, Middle, and South.
  • North Fork Payette River
  • Middle Fork Payette River
  • South Fork Payette River
• Boise River: The Boise River flows right through the capital city of Boise. It's a popular spot for floating and fishing in the summer.
  • South Fork Boise River
  • Middle Fork Boise River
  • North Fork Boise River
• Owyhee River: This river flows through a rugged canyon landscape in southwestern Idaho. It's a wild and remote area.
  • North Fork Owyhee River
  • South Fork Owyhee River
• Malad River: This river is known for its powerful springs.
  • Big Wood River
  • Little Wood River
• Henrys Fork: This is a beautiful, clear river that's famous for fly fishing. It's a major branch of the Snake River.
  • Teton River
  • Fall River

Other Rivers to the Pacific

Some rivers in northern Idaho join the Columbia River system without first flowing into the Snake River.

• Spokane River: This river flows out of Lake Coeur d'Alene.
  • Coeur d'Alene River
• Saint Joe River: Known as the highest navigable river in the world, meaning boats can travel quite far up it.
• Kootenai River: This river flows through northern Idaho and then into Canada.

Rivers in Interior Basins

Some rivers in Idaho don't flow to any ocean. Instead, they flow into "sinks" or dry up in the desert. These are called "interior basins."

• Big Lost River: This river flows into a dry area called the Big Lost River Sinks.
• Little Lost River: Similar to the Big Lost River, it also disappears into the ground.
• Birch Creek: Another river that ends in an interior basin.

Rivers Flowing to the Great Basin

A small part of southeastern Idaho is in the Great Basin. Rivers here flow towards the Great Salt Lake in Utah, which has no outlet to the ocean.

• Bear River: This is the largest river in the Great Basin. It flows in a big U-shape through Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah before reaching the Great Salt Lake.
  • Malad River
  • Cub River
  • Logan River

See also

• List of rivers in the United States
• List of lakes in Idaho
• List of mountains of Idaho