River Rock Calculator
River rock weighs an estimated 1.19–1.35 tons per cubic yard. Enter length, width and depth below to get yards, tons, bags and cost for your dry creek bed.
Order options No waste · ¼ yd steps · reference price
Know the tons? Supplier quote in tons → yards
Tape readings work: 10' 6", 10 1/2, 10½ or 10.5. Depth takes inches or feet (1 ft). Areas add up. Other material? Use the cubic yard calculator.
Enter length, width and depth to see the cubic yards to order.
1 cubic yard to order
rounded up to the nearest ¼ yd³
Exact 0.83 yd³ · 22.5 ft³ · 0.64 m³
At 3 in deep, 1 yd³ covers 108 ft².
- Weight
- 1.19–1.35 tons (loose, varies with stone size)
- Bags
- 45 × 0.5 cu ft
- Trucks
- 1–2 pickup loads (half-ton class)
- Cost
- $54–$80
Compare with bags
You need 1 cubic yard of river rock ≈ 1.19–1.35 tons (loose, varies with stone size) ≈ 45 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
Suppliers sell by the ¼, ½ or whole yard, often with a minimum order — round up to your supplier's step.
Order sheet for your supplier
River rock weight: loose, varies with stone size (Smoky Mountain Sand & Gravel). Cost: reference range, pickup at two supply yards (OH, WA) (supplier price lists, 2026); local prices vary.
River rock weight per yard and per bag
River rock weighs an estimated 2,376–2,700 lb per cubic yard; the weight varies with stone size, so confirm it with your yard.
| Material | lb per yd³ | tons per yd³ | Bags | $ per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River rock* | 2,376–2,700 | 1.19–1.35 | 0.5 cu ft | $54–$80 |
Weight basis: river rock loose, varies with stone size. * Estimate: supplier data or one source only. Prices are reference ranges from dated cost guides and supplier lists (updated September 2026); local prices vary. Sources: Smoky Mountain Sand & Gravel; Lowe's; MRM Landscape Supply (WA); Tri-State Landscape Supply (OH).
The range comes from one supplier table and two 0.5 cu ft bags weighing 44 and 47 lb.
River rock price by stone size
River rock cost $54–$80 per cubic yard for pickup at two supply yards checked in 2026.
| Size | Supply yard | $ per yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| #57 washed river rock (1 in) | Tri-State (OH) | $54 |
| 1½ in and 2–4 in river rock | MRM (WA) | $60 |
| decorative round, 1–3 in | Tri-State (OH) | $69 |
| ⅜ in river rock | MRM (WA) | $70 |
| 2–12 in cobble | MRM (WA) | $80 |
Cobble of 2–12 in costs the most per yard. MRM prices date from Mar 2026; the Tri-State list is undated.
River rock worked example: 30 ft dry creek bed
A 30 × 3 ft dry creek bed at 3 in deep takes 1 cubic yards of river rock, or 45 bags.
- Area30 ft × 3 ft90 ft²
- Volume90 ft² × 3 in ÷ 1222.5 ft³
- Cubic yards22.5 ft³ ÷ 270.83 yd³
- Ordernext ¼ yard up1 yd³
- Weight1 yd³ × 2,376–2,700 lb1.19–1.35 tons
- Bags22.5 ft³ ÷ 0.5 ft³45 bags
Compare river rock with lava rock and other stone in the rock calculator.
River rock calculator FAQ
- How many bags of river rock make a cubic yard?
- One cubic yard of river rock fills 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft. Bags of that size weighed 44–47 lb at one retailer.
- How many cubic yards of river rock are in a ton?
- A ton of river rock is about 0.74–0.84 cubic yards (estimate). Ask your yard for its weight per yard for the size you buy.