New River (Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New River |
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|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Frozen Head in Morgan County, Tennessee |
| River mouth | Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Scott County 1,004 ft (306 m) 36°59′06″N 84°36′25″W / 36.985077°N 84.606885°W |
The New River is a river in Tennessee, USA. It's about 58.7 miles (94.5 km) long. It flows into the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. From there, its water travels through the Cumberland River and the Ohio River all the way to the Mississippi River. This means it's part of the huge Mississippi River watershed!
Where the River Begins
The New River starts on a mountain called Frozen Head. This mountain is in Morgan County, Tennessee. It's named Frozen Head because it often looks frozen in winter. This area is now part of Frozen Head State Park.
The River's Journey
When the New River first starts, it flows northeast. The land around it has a lot of coal. In the past, people dug for coal here. Because of this, the river's water sometimes had a lot of pollution.
A road called Tennessee State Route 116 follows the river for a bit. Then, the river flows into Anderson County, Tennessee. After that, it goes into Campbell County, Tennessee. At this point, the main road turns away. A smaller road and a railroad then follow the river. The railroad was built mainly to carry coal.
Flowing Through Counties
The river, road, and railroad then cross into Scott County, Tennessee. In Scott County, the river starts to turn west. This area once had oil fields where people drilled for oil.
The river flows under U.S. Highway 27 near a community also called New River, Tennessee. Just past this community, the river enters the Big South Fork National Recreational Area.
Joining Other Rivers
A little further downstream, the New River meets another river called the Clear Fork. After these two rivers join, the combined stream is known as the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.
