Cedar River (Gladwin County, Michigan)

Cedar River
The Cedar River in Gladwin
Location within the state of Michigan
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationHamilton Township, Michigan
  coordinates44°02′20″N 84°39′56″W / 44.03889°N 84.66556°W / 44.03889; -84.66556
Mouth 
  location
Tobacco River
  coordinates
44°02′40″N 84°37′54″W / 44.04444°N 84.63167°W / 44.04444; -84.63167
  elevation
712 ft (217 m)
Basin features
River systemSaginaw River

The Cedar River is a 29.0-mile-long (46.7 km) river in the U.S. state of Michigan, flowing through Clare County and Gladwin County.

The main branch of the river is formed by the confluence of Cranberry Creek and the West Branch Cedar River at 44°02′20″N 84°39′56″W / 44.03889°N 84.66556°W / 44.03889; -84.66556 (Cedar River (source)) in Hamilton Township, Clare County. It flows into the Tobacco River at 43°53′17″N 84°29′14″W / 43.88806°N 84.48722°W / 43.88806; -84.48722 (Cedar River (mouth)) in Beaverton.

The North Branch Cedar River rises at 44°08′54″N 84°30′58″W / 44.14833°N 84.51611°W / 44.14833; -84.51611 (North Branch Cedar River (source)) in northwest Gladwin County in Sherman Township east of Meredith near the border with Roscommon County, and joins the main branch at 44°01′38″N 84°34′35″W / 44.02722°N 84.57639°W / 44.02722; -84.57639 (North Branch Cedar River (mouth)) a few miles northwest of Wiggins Lake.

The Middle Branch Cedar River rises at 44°06′47″N 84°37′23″W / 44.11306°N 84.62306°W / 44.11306; -84.62306 (Middle Branch Cedar River (source)) in northeast Clare County in Franklin Township just west of Meredith. It flows mostly south and joins with the West Branch at 44°02′40″N 84°37′54″W / 44.04444°N 84.63167°W / 44.04444; -84.63167 (Middle Branch Cedar River (mouth)) in Hamilton Township, near the Gladwin County border.

The West Branch Cedar River rises at 44°06′49″N 84°39′08″W / 44.11361°N 84.65222°W / 44.11361; -84.65222 (West Branch Cedar River (source)) in Franklin Township, a few miles southwest of Meredith. Another tributary, Cranberry Creek rises in Arnold and Cranberry lakes a few miles northeast of Harrison.

The Little Cedar River is not a tributary of the Cedar River, but flows into the Tobacco River approximately 5 miles (8 km) downstream from Beaverton.