Depth by stone size · tons, yards and prices
River rock calculator
Enter the length, width and depth of your bed or dry creek bed to get river rock in cubic yards and US tons. Not sure how deep? Supplier charts work to about one stone deep: roughly 4 inches for 2–4 inch rock.
How much river rock you need
Enter your dimensions to see cubic yards, tons and bags
The short answer
How much river rock do I need?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324 for cubic yards. A 20 × 3 ft border of 3/4 in rock at 2 in needs 10 ft³, or 0.37 cubic yards, which is about 0.49 US tons at the Steve Miller Inc figure of 2,650 lb per cubic yard (1.33 tons per yard). The depth is the number to get right: the same bed at 4 inches needs twice the rock it needs at 2 inches.
Depth by stone size
How deep should river rock be?
About one stone deep. We read the coverage charts of four suppliers that list river rock by size. Three of them also state how far a ton spreads at a known depth, so each size row gives away the depth the supplier plans for. 2–4 inch rock comes out at 3.7–4 inches on all three charts; 4–8 inch rock at 4.3–6 inches. Willow Lake Rock says it outright: its suggested depth for 1–3 inch rock is 1–3 inches.
| Rock size | Supplier | One ton covers | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 in rock | Willow Lake Rock, Prescott, AZ | 80 ft² | 1–3 in (“Depth we Suggest”) |
| 2–4 in rock | Bedrock Landscaping Materials, Denver, CO | 60 ft² | 4 in, from its chart: one ton of rock covers 240 ft² at 1 in |
| 2–4 in rock | Southwest Landscaping Materials, Santa Fe, NM | 65 ft² | 3.7 in, from its chart: one ton of rock up to 1½ in covers 120 ft² at 2 in |
| 2–4 in cobble | Front Range Material, Lafayette, CO | 65 ft² | 4 in, from its conversion factor: rock at 1.25 tons per cubic yard |
| 4–8 in cobble | Front Range Material, Lafayette, CO | 60 ft² | 4.3 in, from its conversion factor: rock at 1.25 tons per cubic yard |
| 4–8 in rock | Bedrock Landscaping Materials, Denver, CO | 40 ft² | 6 in, from its chart: one ton of rock covers 240 ft² at 1 in |
| 4–8 in rip rap | Willow Lake Rock, Prescott, AZ | 60 ft² | 4–8 in (“Depth we Suggest”) |
| 5–12 in rock | Southwest Landscaping Materials, Santa Fe, NM | 45 ft² | 5.3 in, from its chart: one ton of rock up to 1½ in covers 120 ft² at 2 in |
Smaller rock goes thinner. For its common sizes, River Sand Inc in Georgia recommends a 2 inch depth, at which it says a ton covers 90–100 ft²; Front Range Material quotes its 3/4 and 1½ inch rock at 3 inches (77 ft² per ton). Steve Miller Inc says one yard of its 3/4 inch rock covers 133 ft², a layer about 2.4 inches deep. Read the coverage tables below at the depth for your size.
Depth = the chart’s cubic feet per ton ÷ square feet per ton × 12. The charts are approximate by the suppliers’ own description. For crushed decorative stone and the landscape-fabric question, see the landscape rock calculator.
The calculation
How to calculate river rock
- Measure the bed.Length × width in feet. For a dry creek bed, measure the width across both banks, not just the flat bottom: the rock covers the sloped sides too.
- Set the depth from the stone size.Plan on about one stone deep: 2 to 3 inches for 3/4 to 1½ inch rock, about 4 inches for 2–4 inch rock and 4.3–6 inches for 4–8 inch cobble, the depths the supplier charts below work to.
- Convert to cubic yards.Length × width × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 10 × 10 ft bed at 3 inches is 0.93 yd³.
- Convert with the weight of your size.Multiply cubic yards by the product’s pounds per yard and divide by 2,000. Published figures here run from 2,000 to 3,000 lb, so ask for the one that matches the size you buy.
Rectangle · US measurements
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 324
Feet × feet × inches → cubic yards
Cubic yards × 2,650 ÷ 2,000
Cubic yards × lb/yd³ → US tons at the reference weight
Read the full calculation method ↗Worked examples
River rock calculator examples
At 98.15 lb/ft³, before any allowance. Open one to load it into the calculator.
| Project | Volume | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 20 × 3 ft border of 3/4 in rock at 2 in | 10 ft³ · 0.37 yd³ | 0.49 US tons |
| 10 × 10 ft bed of 1–3 in rock at 3 in | 25 ft³ · 0.93 yd³ | 1.23 US tons |
| 30 × 4 ft dry creek bed of 2–4 in rock at 4 in | 40 ft³ · 1.48 yd³ | 1.96 US tons |
Bulk quantities
How much does a ton or a cubic yard of river rock cover?
One US ton at 2,650 lb per cubic yard is 0.75 cubic yards (20.38 ft³).
| Depth | One US ton covers | Tons for 100 ft² |
|---|---|---|
| 2 in 3/4–1½ in rock, River Sand Inc | 122.26 ft² | 0.82 tons |
| 3 in 3/4–1½ in rock, Front Range Material | 81.51 ft² | 1.23 tons |
| 4 in 2–4 in rock | 61.13 ft² | 1.64 tons |
| 6 in 4–8 in rock | 40.75 ft² | 2.45 tons |
Why the density matters
How much does a yard of river rock weigh?
One cubic yard of river rock weighs 2,000 to 3,000 lb (1 to 1.5 US tons) across the published figures below, and 2,650 lb (1.33 US tons) at the calculator’s preset.
| Product | Publisher | lb per yd³ | Tons per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 inch River Rock | Steve Miller Inc | 2,650 | 1.33 |
| 1-3 inch River Rock | Himmel's Garden Center | 3,000 | 1.5 |
| Creek Cobble 1-2 1/2 inch | Sutherland Landscape Supplies | 2,500 | 1.25 |
| 2-3 inch River Round | Landscape Shoppe | 2,000 | 1 |
Enter your supplier’s figure under Material & allowance. For gravel in general, see how much a yard of gravel weighs, which lists each supplier weight per yard in our ledger with its source and recorded date.
Published prices
How much does river rock cost?
Public price lists from 9 suppliers give a median of $88.50 per cubic yard ($60.00–$93.00, 4 lists) and a median of $70.00 per ton ($45.00–$135.00, 5 lists), before delivery. At this page’s reference weight of 2,650 lb per yard, the per-ton median works out to about $92.75 per cubic yard.
| Supplier | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Harken's Landscape Supply East Windsor, CT | CT River Rounds, approx. 3/4 inch | $92.00 per cubic yard Plus tax and delivery |
| Bracht Bros Forest Lake, MN | River Rock 3/4 inch | $49.00 per ton Pickup; plus county tax |
| Down To Earth Materials Gray, TN | River Slicks 3/4 - 1 1/2 inch | $135.00 per ton Delivery $10 per mile |
| Texas Garden Materials Houston, TX | River Rock 3/4 - 1.5 inch | $84.99 per cubic yard Pickup; delivery at checkout |
| Bedrock Landscaping Materials Denver, CO | Platte River Rock 3/4 inch | $70.00 per ton Delivery extra (flat fee by distance) |
| Ainsworth Rock Sales Denver, CO | River Rock 3/4 or 1 1/2 inch | $89.95 per ton Delivery and tax not stated |
| AZ Rock Express Apache Junction, AZ | Natural River Rock 1 inch | $45.00 per ton Delivery by zone and tonnage |
| MRM Landscape Supply Ellensburg, WA | River Rock 1 1/2 - 4 inch | $60.00 per cubic yard Pickup only; includes tax |
| Sequoia Landscape Materials Santa Rosa, CA | 3/4 inch River Rock | $93.00 per cubic yard Delivery extra |
Per-ton and per-yard prices are not comparable until you convert with the product’s own weight per yard. Delivery fees, minimum orders and the other materials we track are on the gravel prices page.
Before you order
Frequently asked questions about river rock
How much 1-3 inch river rock do I need?
Willow Lake Rock suggests a depth of 1–3 inches for its 1–3 inch rock and says one ton covers 80 ft². At 3 inches, a 10 × 10 ft bed needs 0.93 cubic yards, about 1.39 tons at the 3,000 lb per yard Himmel's Garden Center publishes for its 1–3 inch river rock.
How many tons are in a yard of river rock?
The 4 published figures on this page run from 2,000 lb (1 tons) for Landscape Shoppe’s 2-3 inch River Round to 3,000 lb (1.5 tons) for Himmel's Garden Center’s 1-3 inch River Rock. The calculator opens on 2,650 lb (1.33 tons).
How much river rock do I need for a dry creek bed?
A 30 × 4 ft dry creek bed of 2–4 in rock at 4 in is 40 ft³, or 1.48 cubic yards: 1.96 US tons at 2,650 lb per yard. Measure the width across the banks, and order the larger stones for the edges separately if they are sold by the piece.
Does bigger river rock weigh more per yard?
Not consistently. A 2–3 inch river round is listed at 2,000 lb per yard and a 1–3 inch river rock at 3,000 lb, by different suppliers. Bigger stones leave bigger gaps, but stone type and how a yard is loaded matter as much, so ask for the weight of the exact product.
Will river rock stop weeds?
Not on its own if the stones are large. Colorado State University Extension says stones must be no more than about half an inch across to work as mulch, and that larger rocks increase runoff rather than helping water soak in. Most river rock is bigger than that, so treat it as a surface, not a weed barrier.
Is river rock the same as pea gravel?
Both are rounded, water-worn stone, but pea gravel is small (around 3/8 inch) and river rock usually starts around 3/4 inch and runs to several inches. The pea gravel calculator opens on sourced pea gravel weights and bag counts.
References
- 3/4 inch River Rock: 2,650 lb/yd³, Steve Miller Inc. Recorded September 23, 2026
- 1-3 inch River Rock: 1.5 US tons/yd³, Himmel's Garden Center. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Creek Cobble 1-2 1/2 inch: 2,500 lb/yd³, Sutherland Landscape Supplies. Recorded September 23, 2026
- 2-3 inch River Round: 2,000 lb/yd³, Landscape Shoppe. Recorded September 23, 2026
- Coverage by rock size, Willow Lake Rock, Prescott, AZ. Recorded September 24, 2026
- Coverage by rock size, Bedrock Landscaping Materials, Denver, CO. Recorded September 24, 2026
- Coverage by rock size, Southwest Landscaping Materials, Santa Fe, NM. Recorded September 24, 2026
- Coverage by rock size, Front Range Material, Lafayette, CO. Recorded September 24, 2026
- How many square feet will a ton of river rock cover?, River Sand Inc
- Mulching, GardenNotes (reviewed April 2023), Colorado State University Extension
About these calculations
Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. Each figure links to its source; recorded dates are shown with the figures or in the gravel weight and price ledgers, and the arithmetic is covered by automated tests. The 2,650 lb per cubic yard preset is Steve Miller Inc’s published weight for its own 3/4 inch river rock. How this page was made · Report an error