The Turkey River is a 153-mile-long (246 km) tributary of the upper Mississippi River. Its main branch rises in Howard County, Iowa, near the city of Cresco. The other counties it or its tributaries cover are Chickasaw, Winneshiek, Fayette, Clayton, Delaware, and Dubuque. Tributaries include the Little Turkey River and Crane Creek.
Flowing from northwest to southeast, it flows through or near the cities of Spillville, Fort Atkinson, Eldorado (where it joins with the Little Turkey River), Clermont, Elgin, Elkader, Elkport, Garber, and Millville, before entering the Mississippi south of Guttenberg and across from Cassville, Wisconsin. At its mouth is the community of Turkey River, Iowa, which is named after the river.
The watershed covers 1,083,200 acres (4,384 km2).
The Turkey River in Iowa is believed to have derived its name from the presence of wild turkeys in the region during the time of early European exploration and settlement. These birds were abundant in the heavily wooded areas along the river, making it a notable feature for early settlers and Native American tribes in the area.
