The Longest River in Each US State

Alabama

The longest river in Alabama is the Tennessee River. It spans 652 miles long. However, the longest river that is entirely in Alabama is the Alabama River, which is 318 miles in length.

Alaska

Yukon River, Yukon, No People, 2015, Blue — ©iStock.com/HeatherECampbell

Alaska’s longest river is the beautiful Yukon River, which spans 1,980 miles in length. However, the longest river that is entirely within the state of Alaska is the Kuskokwim River. This river is 724 miles long.

Arizona

The longest river that goes through Arizona is the Colorado River, which is 1,450 miles in length. However, the Little Colorado River is the longest river that’s entirely in Arizona. This river is only 315 miles long.

Arkansas

River Barge Tug — ©RozenskiP/Shutterstock.com

Arkansas’s longest river is the incredible Mississippi River. It is 2,320 miles. Of course, the Mississippi spans several states. The longest river in Arkansas that starts and ends within the state is the Saline River, which is 202 miles in length.

California

Yuma, Arizona — ©Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock.com

California’s longest river is the Colorado River. From start to finish, the Colorado River is 1,450 miles. However, it spans many states. The longest river that is solely in California is the Sacramento River, which is also California’s second-longest river. It’s 447 miles in length.

Colorado

Rio Grande river cutting through large hills covered in bushes and snow on rainy overcast day in rural New Mexico — ©R. Wellen Photography/Shutterstock.com

Despite having so many states feature the Colorado River as the longest river in their state, Colorado’s longest river is actually the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande is 1,896 miles in length. The Colorado River is actually in third place for the longest river within the state. The longest river completely within Colorado is the Yampa River, which is 250 miles.

Connecticut

The longest river in Connecticut is the Connecticut River, which spans 407 miles in length. The longest river totally contained within Connecticut, however, is the Farmington River. This river is only 47 miles long!

Delaware

Delaware’s longest river is the Delaware River, of course! This river is 301 miles in length. However, much of the Delaware River is in neighboring states. The longest river entirely within Delaware is the Murderkill River, which is 22 miles in length.

Florida

The longest river within Florida is the Chattahoochee River/Apalachicola River. These rivers total 430 miles in length. The longest river solely within Florida, however, is the St. Johns River, which is 310 miles. The St. Johns River is the second-longest river in Florida overall.

Georgia

a gorgeous summer landscape along the Chattahoochee river with flowing water surrounded by lush green trees, grass and plants with powerful clouds at sunset in Atlanta Georgia USA — ©Marcus E Jones/Shutterstock.com

Georgia’s longest river is the same as Florida’s: the Chattahoochee River! This river is 430 miles in length. The longest river solely in Georgia, however, is the state’s second-longest river overall. That is the Flint River, which is 344 miles in length.

Hawaii

Hawaii has the pleasure of boasting rivers entirely within the state, however, they aren’t terribly long! The longest river in Hawaii is the Wailuku River, which is 28 miles in length.

Idaho

Idaho’s longest river is the Snake River. This river is 1,078 miles in length. The longest river solely in Idaho, however, is the Salmon River. The Salmon River reaches 425 miles.

Illinois

Like many states on this list, the longest river in the state of Illinois is the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is 2,320 miles long. However, the Illinois River, which is the fourth-longest river in the state, is the longest river entirely within Illinois. It’s 332 miles.

Indiana

Indiana’s longest river is the Ohio River. The Ohio River is 981 miles in length. The longest river entirely within Indiana, however, is the White River. This river is Indiana’s third-longest river and spans 362 miles.

Iowa

The longest river in the state of Iowa is the Missouri River. The Missouri River is 20 feet longer than the Mississippi River, coming in at a total length of 2,340 miles. However, the Iowa River is the longest river in the state, reaching 323 miles in length.

Kansas

Kansas’s longest river is also the Missouri River, coming in at 2,340 miles in length. The longest river in Kansas that stays within the state’s borders is the Saline River. This 397-mile-long river is the seventh-longest in the state.

Kentucky

Despite its ownership of the lengthy Ohio River, the longest river that runs through Kentucky is the Mississippi River, which is a total of 2,320 miles long. However, the longest river solely in Kentucky is the Green River. The Green River is 384 miles long and is the fifth-longest overall river in Kentucky.

Louisiana

Of course, the longest river running through the state of Louisiana is the Mississippi River. The river is 2,320 miles and makes its way into the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. The longest river that is exclusively in Louisiana, however, is the Calcasieu River.

Maine

The longest river in Maine is the Saint John River, which is a total of 418 miles long. The longest river solely within the state of Maine, however, is the Kennebec River, which is 170 miles in length.

Maryland

Mouth of the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay in the Distance — ©James Flynt/Shutterstock.com

Maryland’s longest river is the Susquehanna River. This river runs for 444 miles. The longest river entirely within the state of Maryland, however, is the Patuxent River. The Patuxent is 115 miles in length.

Massachusetts

Boston — ©vivalapenler/iStock via Getty Images

The Connecticut River is the longest river that runs through Massachusetts. It’s 407 miles in length. However, the longest river solely in Massachusetts is the Charles River. The Charles River is 80 miles long and is the fourth-longest river in the state.

Michigan

The longest river in the state of Michigan is the Grand River, which is 252 miles long. This river is also the longest river that’s solely within Michigan! It flows into Lake Michigan and begins just south of Jackson, Michigan.

Minnesota

The longest river that flows through Minnesota is, like many states on the list, the Mississippi River. This river is 2,320 total miles long. However, the longest river in Mississippi is the Minnesota River. This river is the fourth-longest in the state and is 370 miles in length.

Mississippi

Unsurprisingly, the longest river in Mississippi is the Mississippi River, which is a total of 2,320 miles long. But much of the river flows through other states. The longest river that exists entirely within Mississippi’s borders is the Pearl River. The Pearl River is 444 miles long.

Missouri

Just like with Mississippi, it’s not difficult to guess the longest river in the state. The Missouri River, which flows for 2,340 miles, is the longest river in Missouri. However, the longest river entirely within the state is the Gasconade River. This river is 280 miles long.

Montana

Missouri River Water — ©Chaden Roggow/iStock via Getty Images

Montana’s longest river is also the Missouri River. The Missouri River is 2,340 miles long. However, the longest river that is entirely within the borders of Montana is the Musselshell River. This river is 342 miles long, making it the fourth-longest river in the state.

Nebraska

Nebraska’s longest river, like many of the previous states, is the Missouri River, which is 2,340 miles long. However, the Platte River is the longest river that is entirely within Nebraska. The Platte River (not to be confused with the North Platte River), is 310 miles long.

Nevada

©JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD / CC BY-SA 3.0 - Original / License

Like many states in the western half of the US, Nevada’s longest river is the Colorado River. The Colorado River flows 1,450 miles. However, the Humboldt River is the longest river within solely the state of Nevada. This river is 330 miles long.

New Hampshire

New England Landscape. Fall in Green Mountains and Connecticut River — ©Jorge Salcedo/Shutterstock.com

New Hampshire, like many New England states, boasts the Connecticut River as its longest river. The Connecticut River totals 407 miles in length but runs through many states. The longest river that is solely in New Hampshire is the Contoocook River, which is 71 miles long.

New Jersey

New Jersey’s longest river is the Delaware River. This river is 301 miles in length. The longest river within New Jersey’s borders is the Raritan River. It’s 121 miles long.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s longest river, like Colorado, is the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande runs 1,896 miles in length. However, the longest river solely in New Mexico is the Rio Puerco. This river is 230 miles long and is the seventh longest river in the state.

New York

Saint Lawrence river. Thousand Lakes National Park USA. — ©Sergey Kotsegubov/Shutterstock.com

The longest river in the state of New York is the Saint Lawrence River. This river runs for 744 miles in length. The Hudson River is the longest river entirely within the state of New York. It’s often associated with New Jersey but fully belongs to New York state.

North Carolina

Roanoke River Light House at Sunset — ©Gary J. Leasure/Shutterstock.com

The longest river in North Carolina is the Roanoke River, which goes on for 410 miles. The Neuse River, however, is the longest river solely in North Carolina. This river is 275 miles long and is the third-longest river that runs through the state.

North Dakota

©National Archives and Records Administration / Public domain

The longest river in North Dakota, like many midwestern states, is the Missouri River. The Missouri River totals 2,340 miles in length. However, the longest river completely within the state’s borders is the Sheyenne River. This river is 591 miles long.

Ohio

The longest river in Ohio is, no surprise, the Ohio River! This river is 981 miles long and, despite its namesake, is actually presently owned by Kentucky. The longest river in Ohio that is fully within the state is the Scioto River, which is 231 miles long.

Oklahoma

The longest river in the state of Oklahoma is the Arkansas River, which stretches 1,469 miles in length. However, the longest river that is entirely within Oklahoma is the North Canadian River. This river is 440 miles long. It’s the sixth-longest river in the state.

Oregon

The longest river in the state of Oregon is the Columbia River. This river is 1,243 miles long. The longest river that is just within Oregon is the John Day River. The John Day River is 281 miles long, making it the fourth-longest river in the state.

Pennsylvania

The longest river in Pennsylvania is the Ohio River, which stretches 981 miles long. However, the West Branch Susquehanna River is the longest river that solely exists within Pennsylvania. This river is 243 miles in length.

Rhode Island

The longest river in Rhode Island is the Blackstone River. This river is only 48 miles long. However, the longest river that is just in Rhode Island is the Woonasquatucket River. This river is a measly 16 miles in length!

South Carolina

South Carolina’s longest river is the Savannah River, which is a moderate 301 miles in length. The longest river that is solely within South Carolina is the Edisto River, which is 200 miles exactly. That river is the fourth-largest river in the state.

South Dakota

The longest river in South Dakota is the Missouri River. As we know, the Missouri River is the longest river in America, spanning many states! It is 2,340 miles long. However, the longest river in South Dakota that doesn’t exit the state is the Moreau River. The Moreau River is 291 miles long.

Tennessee

Tennessee is another state on our list with the Mississippi River as its number-one longest river. The Mississippi River is 2,320 miles long. However, the longest river that exists entirely within Tennessee is the Duck River! The Duck River is 284 miles long.

Texas

Like many of the states in the southcentral region of America, Texas’s longest river is the hulking Rio Grande. The Rio Grande spans 1,896 miles. The Texas Colorado River is the longest river just in Texas, however. It’s a little bit more than 800 miles long.

Utah

The longest river in Utah is the Colorado River. The Colorado River, as a whole, spans 1,450 miles. However, the longest river that is entirely within Utah is the Sevier River. This river is 383 miles long and is the third-longest river in the state.

Vermont

The Connecticut River is the longest river that flows through Vermont. It’s 407 miles in length and has substantial stretches between Vermont and New Hampshire. However, the longest river entirely in Vermont is Otter Creek. Otter Creek stretches 112 miles in length.

Virginia

Longest River in North Carolina - The Roanoke River — ©Malachi Jacobs/Shutterstock.com

The longest river in Virginia is the Roanoke River. This river is 410 miles long! The longest river that is entirely within the state of Virginia, however, is the James River. The James River is 348 miles long and is the second-longest river that flows through the state.

Washington

Washington state’s longest river is the Columbia River. The Columbia River is 1,243 miles in length. However, the longest river in the state that doesn’t cross its borders is the Yakima River. This river is 214 miles long and the third-longest river in the state.

West Virginia

Greenbrier River at Talcott, WV — ©Xose12345, CC BY-SA 4.0 - Original / License

The longest river that flows through West Virginia is the Ohio River. As mentioned previously, the Ohio River is 981 miles long. The longest river in West Virginia that doesn’t flow into any other state is the Greenbrier River. This river is 173 miles long. It’s the fourth-longest river in the state.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s longest river, like many Midwestern states, is the Mississippi River. This river is 2,320 miles long. The longest river that is exclusively in Wisconsin, however, is the Wisconsin River. This river is 430 miles long, making it the second-longest river in Wisconsin.

Wyoming

Wyoming’s longest river is the Snake River. This river is 1,078 miles in length. However, the longest river that is entirely within the state of Wyoming is the Wind River/Bighorn River. This river is 461 miles. Despite being substantially long, it’s Wyoming’s seventh-longest river! There are many long rivers flowing through Wyoming.

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About the Author

Em Thomas

Em Thomas is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering places, travel, and chili peppers! She's an MBA student with a passion for storytelling. Though she's a Michigan native, she presently resides in Denver, Colorado. While she doesn't currently have any pets of her own, she's an avid dogsitter with an affinity for big dogs!

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