The Mayo River is a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the Dan River

Dan River

The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It originates in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it goes back into Virginia. It reenters North Carolina near the...

, which in turn is a tributary of the Roanoke River

Roanoke River

The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...

. All three rivers flow through the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

s of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 and North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. It is named for Major William Mayo

William Mayo (civil engineer)

Major William Mayo was an English civil engineer who emigrated to the British colony of Virginia in 1723.-Biography:Mayo, born in England, emigrated to the British colony of Virginia in 1723...

 (ca. 1685-1744).

Course

The Mayo River is formed by two main branches, the North Fork Mayo River and the South Fork Mayo River. Both forks rise in Patrick County, Virginia

Patrick County, Virginia

Patrick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 18,490. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the Piedmont Region of Virginia and mountainous Southwest Virginia....

, gathering the waters of many tributary streams. The two forks join in northwestern Rockingham County, North Carolina

Rockingham County, North Carolina

Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County...

, forming the Mayo River proper, which then flows south into joining the Dan River near the towns of Mayodan, North Carolina

Mayodan, North Carolina

Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Bridgestone Aircraft Tire and General Tobacco...

 and Madison, North Carolina

Madison, North Carolina

Madison is a town located in Rockingham County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 2,262. It is home to the corporate headquarters of Remington Arms.-Schools:...

.

See also

• Mayo River State Park
  Mayo River State Park
  Mayo River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Rockingham County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Mayodan, North Carolina and covers along the Mayo River. The park is one of the newest in the North Carolina system, having been authorized by the General Assembly in May 2003...
  
  
• List of Virginia rivers
• List of North Carolina rivers

External links