The Columbia River stretches for 1,243 miles and crosses through the Canadian province of British Columbia before flowing through Washington and Oregon in the United States. This storied river appeared on European maps in the early 17th century as the “River of the West.” The waterway has many tributaries, connects to other well-known bodies of water like the Snake River, and even makes an appearance along road trip-worthy US Highway 2. Ultimately, the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon, where it drains more water into the eastern Pacific than any other river in all of North or South America.