McCloud River

McCloud River
McLeod's Fork, McLoud River
Middle McCloud Falls on the McCloud River
Location of the mouth of the McCloud River in California
Location
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CityMcCloud
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationSoutheast of Mount Shasta, Siskiyou County, California
  coordinates41°13′12″N 121°46′21″W / 41.22000°N 121.77250°W / 41.22000; -121.77250
  elevation4,677 ft (1,426 m)
Mouth 
  location
McCloud River Arm of Lake Shasta, Sacramento River, Shasta County, California
  coordinates
40°46′13″N 122°18′13″W / 40.77028°N 122.30361°W / 40.77028; -122.30361
  elevation
1,066 ft (325 m)
Length77 mi (124 km)
Basin size674 sq mi (1,750 km2)
Discharge 
  locationnear the mouth
  average775 cu ft/s (21.9 m3/s)
  minimum109 cu ft/s (3.1 m3/s)
  maximum51,300 cu ft/s (1,450 m3/s)

The McCloud River is a 77.1-mile (124.1 km) long river that flows east of and parallel to the upper Sacramento River, in Siskiyou County and Shasta County in northern California in the United States. Protected under California's Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1972), it drains a scenic mountainous area of the Cascade Range, including part of Mount Shasta. It is a tributary of the Pit River, which in turn flows into the Sacramento River. The three rivers join in Shasta Lake, formed by Shasta Dam north of Redding.