Rocky River (North Carolina) should not be confused with Rocky River (Deep River tributary).
| Rocky River | |
| Name Other: | Tributary to Pee Dee River |
| Image Alt: | Pee Dee River watershed showing Rocky River |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA North Carolina |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Rocky River mouth |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Map of Rocky River mouth location |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | North Carolina |
| Subdivision Type3: | County |
| Subdivision Name3: | Anson Cabarrus Iredell Mecklenburg Richmond Stanly Union |
| Length: | [1] |
| Discharge1 Location: | Pee Dee River |
| Discharge1 Avg: | at mouth with Pee Dee River[2] |
| Source1: | divide between Rocky River and Catawba River |
| Source1 Location: | Mooresville, North Carolina |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 35.5839°N -80.7983°W[3] |
| Source1 Elevation: | [4] |
| Mouth: | Pee Dee River |
| Mouth Location: | about 3 miles northeast of Ansonville, North Carolina |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 35.1433°N -80.0764°W |
| Progression: | Pee Dee River → Winyah Bay → Atlantic Ocean |
| River System: | Pee Dee River |
| Tributaries Left: | Coddle Creek Irish Buffalo Creek Hamby Branch Dutch Buffalo Creek Little Meadow Creek Meadow Creek Camp Branch Pumpkin Creek Rock Hole Creek Island Creek Coldwater Branch Gilberts Creek Big Bear Creek Murray Branch Stillhouse Branch Spears Branch Coopers Creek Jacks Branch Hardy Creek Big Cedar Creek Little Cedar Creek |
| Tributaries Right: | Dye Creek West Branch Clarke Creek Mallard Creek Back Creek Reedy Creek Bost Creek Anderson Creek Muddy Creek Clear Creek Goose Creek Crooked Creek Grassy Creek Reason Branch Crisco Branch Cedar Branch Richardson Creek Cribs Creek Lanes Creek Little Creek Bowsaw Branch Camp Branch |
The Rocky River is a 95adj=midNaNadj=mid[5] river in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It begins in Iredell County near Mooresville and flows south into Cabarrus County, where it is the principal waterway in the county. The river continues southeastward to form the line between Stanly, Union, and Anson counties. It empties into the Pee Dee River just below Norwood, North Carolina at the junction of Stanly, Montgomery, Anson, and Richmond counties, at the foot of the Uwharrie Mountains.
Efforts are being made to boost tourism, including and canoe and kayak recreation, along Rocky River "Blueway" [6] as part of the Carolina Thread Trail.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]
Private, non-profit organizations have developed park lands for improved river access, but some controversy ensued.[17] [18]