# What rivers have you crossed in your life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 30, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286 "2013-06-30T21:03:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/1 "2013-06-30T21:03:13Z")
Riffing off [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=695208). I’m talking the watery kind of river, not some philosophical transition. As a help, [here](http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0001779.html) is a list of major rivers of the world. [Here’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_by_length) a longer list. Feel free to list smaller ones, along with where they are for the geographically challenged. In the major river category, I can list: Nile Yukon Mackenzie Peace Mississippi Missouri St. Lawrence Niagara Thames Seine Rhine Danube Zambezi Columbia Potomac East River Willamette (Oregon) Red Ohio Platte Colorado Rio Grande Okavango (Botswana) Fraser (BC) Liard (BC) Ogilvie (NWT) Blackstone (NWT) Yellowstone Vistula (Poland) Tejo (or Tagus, in Portugal) Douro (also Portugal) Copper (Alaska) Moscow (Russia) Snake Sacramento I guess it’s pointless to list smaller rivers, as there are just too many of them. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/2 "2013-06-30T23:02:34Z")
Does flying across the river count or do you only mean by bridge or boat? ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/3 "2013-06-30T23:21:24Z")
Australia: [ul] [li]Murray River[/li][li]Murrumbidgee River[/li][li]Darling River[/li][li]Molonglo River[/li][li]Lachlan River[/li][li]Todd River[/li][li]Diamantina River[/li][/ul] India: Ganges ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/4 "2013-06-30T23:27:51Z")
I can’t think of any major river in the contiguous 48 states that I have not crossed. I’ve crossed the Tiber in Italy, and the St. Lawrence in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/5 "2013-06-30T23:50:02Z")
Excluding minor rivers and creeks: Rio Grande, Columbia, Snake, Yakima. Obviously all but the first are in the NW. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/6 "2013-06-30T23:52:00Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Does flying across the river count or do you only mean by bridge or boat? Bridge, boat, kite board, swimming. I don’t think flying would count, as it would be like saying flying over Ohio and saying you’ve been there. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/7 "2013-07-01T00:27:22Z")
I have a relatively limited list because I’ve only traveled in the eastern part of North America. So looking at the list in the OP, I’ve crossed: Allegheny Altamaha Arkansas Atchafalaya Ausable Black (Arkansas) Black (New York) Black (South Carolina) Black (Vermont) Brazos Canisteo Cattaraugus Chemung Chenango Cohocton Colorado (Texas) Connecticut Cumberland Delaware Genessee Great Egg Harbor Green (Kentucky) Hudson James Kanawha Licking (Kentucky) Missisquoi Mississippi Mohawk (New York) Mullica Muskingum Neches New (Virginia) Ocmulgee Oconee Ohio Oswego Ouachita Passaic Pee Dee Potomac Rancocas Raquette Raritan Roanoke Red (Louisiana) Sabine St. Francis St. Lawrence St. Regis Santee Saranac Schoharie Sulfur Susquehana Tonawanda Tennessee Trinity Wallkill White (Vermont) Winooski Yazoo And there are a hundred more. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/8 "2013-07-01T00:37:00Z")
Some ones that I know I’ve crossed on the east coast of the US: Hudson East Delaware Susquehanna Ohio Conestoga (where “stogies” come from) Shenandoah Potomac Bull Run Occoquan Rappahannock New James (crossed on the pole ferry!) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/9 "2013-07-01T00:37:37Z")
Oh geez, too many to count. I’ve driven coast to coast and border to border several times, so I guess I’ve crossed most of the “major” rivers in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/10 "2013-07-01T00:53:21Z")
Of the rivers listed in the Wikipedia link (over 1000 km), I’ve crossed: Danube Colorado Green Loire Including some shorter rivers: Arno Delaware East (New York) Gila (Arizona) Potomac Rhone Sacramento San Joaquin (California) Seine Thames Tiber Willamette (OR) I believe we went under the Hudson on on our way into New York; not sure if that counts or not… ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/11 "2013-07-01T01:55:50Z")
The Delaware, The Rio Grande, the Guadalquivir for sure. Probably the Ohio, Pittsburgh, and the Monongahela as well. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/12 "2013-07-01T03:40:56Z")
Umm, I dunno. Certainly the Ohio, a bunch of times. I guess the Scioto by now. The Neva in St. Petersburg. The East River, the Hudson, and the Harlem [del]Creek[/del] River. Many an other un-named river. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/13 "2013-07-01T04:42:08Z")
Too many to count by car. In no particular order, I’ve walked (on bridges) across the Seine, the St. Lawrence, the East River (if that counts, I think it’s really an estuary), and the Schuylkill. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/14 "2013-07-01T05:16:50Z")
The most interesting one recently that I crossed is the Skagit River just north of Mount Vernon, Washington. Went over the bridge there just a few days before it was hit by an idiot over-sized trucker, with this result. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:05-23-13\_Skagit\_Bridge\_Collapse.jpg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:05-23-13_Skagit_Bridge_Collapse.jpg) As I-5 is the main interstate route between Los Angeles and Vancouver, BC, this has caused quite a disruption. The Highway Department had a contractor throw a Bailey Bridge over the river replacing the span that collapsed, and I’ll be using that in a few days. Should beat a 45 minute detour thru Mount Vernon. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/15 "2013-07-01T06:02:13Z")
Do I get extra points for crossing the Patapsco on horseback? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/16 "2013-07-01T06:09:07Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > Australia: > > [ul] > [li]Murray River[/li][li]Murrumbidgee River[/li][li]Darling River[/li][li]Molonglo River[/li][li]Lachlan River[/li][li]Todd River[/li][li]Diamantina River[/li][/ul] All of these but none overseas except by plane. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/17 "2013-07-01T06:27:59Z")
All the major ones in the US plus: Danube (plus other major rivers in Europe), Mtkvari, Zambezi, Nile (in Uganda and Sudan)… plus lots of little ones nobody has heard of… I’ve been to 85 countries. These were all crossed by ferry and/or on foot. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/18 "2013-07-01T06:47:27Z")
The only big ones I’ve crossed have been the Missisippi and Rio Grande. I’ve also crossed probably all rivers mentioned in the[Texas River song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6aNiMQStLw), as well as many other creeks and streams. Do I get extra points for traveling down a river by some form of watercraft? Because I’ved canoed the Colorado (not the grand canyon one, the one in Texas that bifurcates Austin) and floated the Frio. Also a texas river. With the exception of the Missisippi, all the rivers I’ve crossed are Texas rivers. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/19 "2013-07-01T07:18:45Z")
Let’s see… Columbia (on a bicycle) Mississippi Missouri Colorado (on foot in two different locations) Danube Rhine Seine Vltava Spree Charles Merrimack Potomac Thames (U.S.) Hudson Susquehanna Willamette Fraser Alleghany ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286/20 "2013-07-01T13:26:39Z")
Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure I’ve walked on a bridge across the Charles River. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rivers-have-you-crossed-in-your-life/662286.md?page=2)