thumb|Aerial view, looking southerly, of the river's mouth and surrounding area of discharge into [[Lake Erie, in Rocky River. At top, the Clifton Park-West Lake Bridge carries U.S. Route 6 across the river. At center is a derrick boat operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which dredges the navigation channel and maintains the breakwater.]]
thumb|A bend in the Rocky River and adjoining riverbanks are seen in this photo taken from a bridge on the Cleveland-Rocky River border in the Rocky River Reservation.
thumb|Low water ford bridge over the East Branch Rocky River in the Millstream Reservation.
thumb|Berea Falls on the East Branch Rocky River in [[Berea, Ohio]]
The Rocky River is a long tributary of Lake Erie located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The river originates at the confluence of its East and West Branches in the city of North Olmsted. The East Branch Rocky River extends from its headwaters in Broadview Heights, located in Cuyahoga County. The West Branch Rocky River is long and begins in Montville Township in Medina County. A North Branch also exists, originating in Granger Township in Medina County and joining the West Branch in the city of Medina.
The river forms the natural western boundaries of Cleveland and the suburb of Lakewood with the suburbs of Fairview Park and Rocky River. The latter community is named after the river. To the south of Fairview Park and west of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the river forms the natural boundary between the suburb of Brook Park and the communities of North Olmsted and Olmsted Township. Ranked by Field & Stream as one of the top steelhead trout rivers in the world, the Rocky River is the center of the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.
Watershed and Course
Rocky River's watershed encompasses approximately in Northeast Ohio, covering portions of Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, and Summit counties. It includes the main stem of the Rocky River as well as its East, West, and North Branches.
The main branch is notable for its deep valley and steep shale cliffs, which in some areas descend up to below street level. This section of the river is crossed by eight high-level bridges and features a diverse landscape that includes open meadows and dense floodplain forests. Common tree species in the area include cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows.
Most of its main stem lies within the Rocky River Reservation, part of the Cleveland Metroparks system. This reservation is publicly accessible and includes the first parcel of land acquired by William A. Stinchcomb, the founder of the Cleveland Metroparks, for the creation of the park district.
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