Exploring U.S. Rivers and Mountain Ranges
A river is a large stream of water flowing through the land into a lake, ocean, or other
body of water. There are many rivers throughout the United States. Five of these are
considered major rivers: Colorado, Rio Grande, Mississippi, Ohio, and Hudson.
Compass Rose
We’ll start our tour
and move across
from west to east.
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Colorado
Rio Grande
Mississippi
Ohio
Hudson
Colorado River
The Colorado River begins on a 14,000 foot high mountain and flows to
the Gulf of California. This river is 1450 miles in length. The Colorado
River flows through seven U.S. states (including, Colorado, Utah,
Arizona, Nevada and California) and is made up of over 50 smaller rivers.
The Colorado River is home to one of the seven natural wonders of the
world, the Grand Canyon. The biggest sport along the Colorado River is
whitewater rafting.
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande River begins in Colorado and flows to the Gulf of
Mexico. This river forms the border between the U.S. state of Texas
and Mexico. The Rio Grande is 1,885 miles long. Rio Grande means
“big river” in Spanish. This river is the 5th longest river in North
America.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River lies in the following ten US states: Louisiana, Mississippi,
Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The length of the Mississippi River is approximately 2,320 miles long, and is the 2nd
longest river in the U.S. Water from 31 states and Canada flows into this river. The
Mississippi River is known for flooding. Many flood control systems have been built
along the river.
Ohio River
The Ohio River is 981 miles long. This river flows through or borders six states: Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The Ohio River begins in
Pennsylvania and flows into the Mississippi River. This river is the source of drinking
water for 3 million people. More than 200 million tons of cargo, such as coal, is shipped
along the Ohio River each year. The Ohio River is also known for flooding.
Hudson River
The length of the Hudson is 315 miles. It runs from the Adirondack Mountains
(part of the Appalachian Mountain chain) to Manhattan in New York. It flows
north and south through the state of New York. The Hudson is smaller in size
compared to the other major rivers in America, such as the Mississippi River
and the Ohio River.
Mountain Ranges
There are two major
mountain ranges in the
United States. These are
the Rocky Mountains and
the Appalachian
Mountains. Let’s look at
each of these mountain
ranges!
The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are located along western North America. These mountains
are high and rugged. The Rocky Mountains stretch over 3,000 miles. They start in
Canada and end in New Mexico. Many of the mountains in this range are over
10,000 feet high! Water and melted snow that run off the mountains feed lakes
and rivers that provide water for one-fourth of the United States.
The Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains are located on the eastern side of the United
States. They stretch from Canada to Georgia. These mountains are over 500
million years old and are not as high as the Rocky Mountains because of erosion
and weathering. The Appalachian Mountains are filled with trees and plants
rather than rocky cliffs.