Smith River (California)

The Smith River is a river on the Pacific coast of northern California in the United States, approximately 20 mi (32 km) long. It drains a rugged area of the Pacific Coast Ranges west of the Siskiyou Mountains just south of the Oregon border and north of the watershed of the Klamath River. It is the largest river system in California that flows freely along its entire course. It was named for the explorer Jedediah Smith. It is sometimes known as the Smiths River.

It is formed by the confluence of its Middle and North forks in Del Norte County, in the extreme northwest corner of California, near the community of Gasquet. The Middle Fork (20 mi/32 km) rises in Del Norte County, approximately 60 miles northeast of Crescent City, and flows south.Fact|date=September 2008 The North Fork Smith River rises in Oregon on the northeast slope of Chetco Peak. [GNIS|264212|name=North Fork Smith River] The South Fork Smith River enters the Smith River near the community of Berteleda. The South Fork (25 mi/40 km) rises on the eastern edge of the Smith River National Recreation Area, approximately 30 mi (48 km) east-northeast of Crescent City, flowing southwest and then northwest. From the confluence with the South Fork, the Smith River flows generally northwest, entering the Pacific Ocean near the community of Smith River, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Crescent City.

The free-flowing nature of the river—without a single dam along its entire length—makes it especially prized among conservationists and is considered one of the crown jewels of the National Wild and Scenic River program.

References

External links

* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/recreation/rivers/n-fork-smith.shtml United States Forest Service: Smith Wild and Scenic River]
*GNIS|253899
*GNIS|264212|name=North Fork Smith River
*GNIS|267005|name=Middle Fork Smith River
*GNIS|267506|name=South Fork Smith River