American River (Washington)
Encyclopedia
The American River is a tributary
of the Bumping River
, in Washington in the United States
. It flows down the east side of the Cascade Range
, through Wenatchee National Forest
and the William O. Douglas Wilderness
.
From its source at American Lake, it flows north for several miles, picking up its tributary the Rainier Fork American River, which flows east down from the vicinity of Chinook Pass
. State Route 410
crossing Chinook Pass from Mount Rainier National Park
, then follows the Rainier Fork and the American River valleys.
After its confluence with Rainier Fork, the American River flows through Pleasant Valley. It joins the Bumping River a few miles above that river's confluence with the Naches River
.
The American River is part of the Columbia River
basin, being a tributary of the Bumping River, which is tributary to the Naches River, which is tributary to the Yakima River
, which is tributary to the Columbia River.
An early name for the American River was Miners Creek. According to historian Gretta Gossett, the river was renamed for the American River
in California, "by hopeful miners".
, GNIS
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Bumping River
Bumping River
The Bumping River is a tributary of the Naches River, in Washington in the United States. It flows down the east side of the Cascade Range, through Wenatchee National Forest and the William O. Douglas Wilderness. From its source at Fish Lake near Crag Mountain, it flows northeast to Bumping Lake, a...
, in Washington in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It flows down the east side of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
, through Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of 1,735,394 acres , it extends about 137 miles along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range of Washington, USA from Okanogan National Forest to Gifford Pinchot National Forest...
and the William O. Douglas Wilderness
William O. Douglas Wilderness
The William O. Douglas Wilderness is a designated wilderness located in central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. It includes 168,232 acres located between the U.S. Route 12 and State Route 410 and is jointly administered by the Snoqualmie National Forest and the Gifford Pinchot National...
.
From its source at American Lake, it flows north for several miles, picking up its tributary the Rainier Fork American River, which flows east down from the vicinity of Chinook Pass
Chinook Pass
Chinook Pass is a pass through the Cascade Range in the state of Washington.The pass provides the east entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, and carries State Route 410 between the towns of Enumclaw and Naches. Because of the high elevation, Chinook Pass is usually closed in November due to...
. State Route 410
Washington State Route 410
State Route 410 is a long state highway that traverses Pierce, King, and Yakima counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It begins at an interchange with SR 167 in Sumner and travels southeast across the Cascade Range to a junction with U.S. Route 12 in Naches...
crossing Chinook Pass from Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
, then follows the Rainier Fork and the American River valleys.
After its confluence with Rainier Fork, the American River flows through Pleasant Valley. It joins the Bumping River a few miles above that river's confluence with the Naches River
Naches River
The Naches River is a tributary of the Yakima River in central Washington in the United States. Beginning as the Little Naches River, it is about 75 miles long. After the confluence of the Little Naches and Bumping River the name becomes simply the Naches River...
.
The American River is part of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
basin, being a tributary of the Bumping River, which is tributary to the Naches River, which is tributary to the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
, which is tributary to the Columbia River.
An early name for the American River was Miners Creek. According to historian Gretta Gossett, the river was renamed for the American River
American River
The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
in California, "by hopeful miners".
External links
, USGSUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
, GNIS
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...