The Pacolet River is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the Broad River, about 50 miles (80 km) long, in northwestern

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

in the United States.Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
One of its principal

headwater The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

s tributaries also drains a small portion of western

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. Via the Broad and Congaree rivers, it is part of the watershed of the

Santee River } The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, and is long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage for the coastal areas of southeastern South Carolina and navigation for the central coastal plain of ...

, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

DeLorme DeLorme is the producer of personal satellite tracking, messaging, and navigation technology. The company’s main product, ''inReach'', integrates GPS and satellite technologies. ''inReach'' provides the ability to send and receive text messages ...

(1998). ''South Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. The stream's name has also been spelled historically as "Pacolate River".

Course

The Pacolet is formed by the confluence of its short north and south forks: *The North Pacolet River rises in the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...

in southeastern

Henderson County, North Carolina Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,281. Its county seat is Hendersonville. Henderson County is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Histor ...

and flows eastwardly into

Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk: * Polk County, Arkansas * Polk County, Florida * Polk County, Georgia * Polk County, Iowa * Polk Count ...

. It then passes near the town of Tryon and turns southeastwardly into northern

Spartanburg County, South Carolina Spartanburg County is a County (United States), county located on the northwestern border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 327,997, making it the fifth-most populous county ...

. *The South Pacolet River rises in northeastern

Greenville County, South Carolina Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...

, and flows eastwardly into northern Spartanburg County, where it passes the town of Campobello and is dammed to form William C. Bowen Lake. The two forks join 10 miles (16 km) north-northeast of

Spartanburg Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Offi ...

, and the Pacolet then flows generally southeastwardly, through or along the boundaries of Spartanburg,

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

and

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

Counties, through Lake Blalock and past the town of Pacolet. It joins the Broad River on the common boundary of Cherokee and Union Counties, 4 miles (6 km) north of the town of

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. In Spartanburg County the Pacolet collects Lawsons Fork Creek, which historically has also been known as "Lawsons Fork of the Pacolet River". The creek flows for its entire length in Spartanburg County, passing through the city of Spartanburg.

References

{{authority control Rivers of North Carolina Rivers of South Carolina Rivers of Cherokee County, South Carolina Rivers of Greenville County, South Carolina Rivers of Henderson County, North Carolina Rivers of Polk County, North Carolina Rivers of Spartanburg County, South Carolina Rivers of Union County, South Carolina Tributaries of the Broad River (Carolinas)

Course

See also

References