Cedar River (Gladwin County, Michigan)

For other "Cedar Rivers" in Michigan, see Carp River (Michigan).

Cedar River
Origin	Hamilton Township, Clare County
Mouth	Tobacco River
Basin countries	United States
Mouth elevation	712 ft (217 m)^[1]
Basin area	Saginaw River

The Cedar River is a 29.0-mile-long (46.7 km)^[2] river in the U.S. state of Michigan, flowing though 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))^[1] 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))^[1] 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))^[3] 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))^[3] 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^[4] 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))^[4] 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))^[5] 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.^[6]

Tributaries and features

From the mouth:

(left) Doone Creek^[7]
(left) Farm Drain^[8]
(right) Canham Drain^[9]
(left) Lucas Drain^[10]
(left) Swan Lake (also known as Slaughterhouse Lake)^[11]
City of Gladwin
Bendle Drain^[12]
Silver Creek^[13]
Chappel Dam^[14]
Wiggins Lake (also known as Chappel Pond)^[15]
- (left) Howland Creek^[16]
  - Howland Lake^[17]
- (left) Frost Lake^[18]
(left) Smith Creek^[19]
(right) Lake Contos^[20]
- (left) Puro Lake^[21]
- Mud Lake^[22]
  - Pratt Lake^[23]

(right) North Branch Cedar River^[3]
- (left) Peach Lake^[24]
- (left) McGilvery Lake^[25]
- (left) Schoolhouse Lake^[26]
- (right) Greasy Jim Lake^[27]
- (left) Blue Lake^[28]
  - Island Lake^[29]
- (left) Streaked Lake^[30]
  - Trout Lake (Gladwin County)^[31]
    - House Lake^[32]
    - Hoister Lake (also known as Holster Lake)^[33]
(right) Middle Branch Cedar River^[4]
- (right) Lindy Lake^[34]
- (left) Lake Little George^[35]
- Trout Lake (Clare County)^[36]
(left) Decker Lake^[37]
(right) West Branch Cedar River^[5]
- (left) Popple Creek^[38]
(left) Cranberry Creek^[39]
- - Cranberry Lake^[40]
  - Arnold Lake^[41]

Drainage basin

The Cedar River drains portions of the following:

Clare County

Gladwin County, Michigan

Cedar River (Gladwin County, Michigan)

Tributaries and features

Drainage basin

References