List of rivers of North Dakota facts for kids

Have you ever wondered about the rivers that flow through North Dakota? This page lists all the important rivers in this amazing state in the United States. Rivers are like nature's highways, carrying water across the land. They are super important for nature, people, and even for fun activities like fishing!

Rivers in Alphabetical Order

Here's a list of rivers in North Dakota, arranged in alphabetical order to make them easy to find:

• Bois de Sioux River
• Cannonball River
• Cedar Creek
• Cut Bank Creek
• Deep River
• Des Lacs River
• Elm River (North Dakota), which flows into the Red River of the North
• Elm River (South Dakota), which flows into the James River
• Forest River
• Goose River
• Green River
• Heart River
• James River
• Knife River
• Little Goose River
• Little Heart River
• Little Knife River, a smaller river that flows into the Knife River
• Little Knife River, a smaller river that flows into the Missouri River
• Little Missouri River
• Little Muddy Creek
• Little Muddy River
• Long Creek
• Maple River (North Dakota), which flows into the Sheyenne River
• Maple River (South Dakota), which flows into the Elm River of South Dakota
• Missouri River
• North Fork Grand River
• Park River
• Pembina River
• Pipestem River
• Red River of the North
• Rush River
• Sheyenne River
• Souris River
• Spring Creek
• Tobacco Garden Creek
• Tongue River
• Turtle River
• White Earth River
• Wild Rice River
• Wintering River
• Yellowstone River

Rivers by Their Connections (Tributaries)

Rivers often connect to each other. A smaller river that flows into a larger river is called a tributary. This section shows how North Dakota's rivers are connected, grouped by the bigger rivers they flow into.

Rivers Flowing into the Missouri River

The Missouri River is one of the longest rivers in North America! Many rivers in North Dakota flow into it.

• Little Muddy Creek (its mouth, or where it joins, is in Montana)
• Yellowstone River
• Little Muddy River
• Tobacco Garden Creek
• White Earth River
• Little Knife River
• Little Missouri River
• Knife River
  • Little Knife River
  • Spring Creek
• Heart River
  • Green River
• Little Heart River
• Cannonball River
  • Cedar Creek
• North Fork Grand River
• James River
  • New Rockford Canal
  • Pipestem Creek
  • Elm River
    • Maple River

Rivers Flowing into the Red River of the North

The Red River of the North forms part of the border between North Dakota and Minnesota. Many rivers in eastern North Dakota flow into it.

• Bois de Sioux River
• Wild Rice River
• Sheyenne River
  • Maple River
  • Rush River
  • New Rockford Canal
• Elm River
• Goose River
  • Little Goose River
• Turtle River
• Forest River
• Park River
• Pembina River
  • Tongue River

Rivers Flowing into the Souris River

The Souris River (also known as the Mouse River) flows through North Dakota and then into Canada.

• Antler Creek
• Des Lacs River
• Wintering River
• Deep River
  • Cut Bank Creek
• Long Creek

Learn More

• List of longest streams of Minnesota
• List of rivers in the United States