The Mazon River or Mazon Creek (), is a tributary of the Illinois River in the United States. The confluence is near Morris, Illinois.
The Mazon River is associated with the Mazon Creek fossils of the Francis Creek Shale, which are also exposed in strip mines and quarries near the River. This fossil bed includes well-preserved fossils from the Pennsylvanian period of the Paleozoic era and is a world-famous Lagerstätten site.
The Mazon River is approximately in length, with the West Fork considered the main branch.
The river was named in honor of William Mason, a pioneer settler.
Cities and counties
The following cities, towns and villages are within the Mazon watershed: Braidwood Coal City Dwight Gardner Mazon Morris
The following counties are at least partly drained by the Mazon River: Grundy County Kankakee County Livingston County Will County
See also
List of Illinois rivers
References
External links
American Whitewater
Prairie State Canoeists
Field Museum Collection, Mazon Creek Fossils
Illinois State Museum, Mazon Creek Fossil Collection
Prairie Rivers Network
USGS Real-time Stream Gage Mazon River
Upper Illinois/Mazon River watershed map (PDF)