Rapidan River

The Rapidan River, flowing 88 mi through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg. The Rapidan River begins west of Doubletop Mountain in Shenandoah National Park where the Mill Prong meets the Laurel Prong at Rapidan Camp, approximately 3 mi south of Big Meadows. The river defines the border of Orange County with Culpeper and Madison Counties as well as portions of Greene and Madison Counties.

Sections of the lower Rapidan River are preserved by a conservation easement.{{cite web

The Rapidan River was the scene of severe fighting in the American Civil War, and historic sites such as Ely's Ford, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, and the Battle of the Wilderness are nearby.

The name is a combination of the word "rapids" with the name of Queen Anne of England. Originally, it was known as the Rapid Ann River.

The Rapidan River ranks #38 in Trout Unlimited's Guide to America's 100 Best Trout Streams. In 2000, the upper Rapidan River was nominated for EPA designation as a Tier III Exceptional Waterway. In 2001, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality rejected the application, citing uncertainty about the impact of the designation.{{cite web | access-date = 2008-06-19}}

File:Germanna Ford.jpg|Germanna Ford, Rapidan River