The river Sidon is the only named river in the Book of Mormon. It is often used as a reference point for describing the locations of valleys, hills, banks, war battles and other places and events. These numerous references suggest it was a significant feature in the Book of Mormon landscape. Because of it’s prominence, many have focused on this key geographical landmark to determine the location of the Book of Mormon lands. Some researchers, however, assert that the river Sidon flows northward and, understandably, quickly dismiss any geographical region with a proposed river Sidon that runs contrary to that direction.

There are no clear and obvious statements on the general flow of the river Sidon in the Book of Mormon. Therefore, one must use logic and the triangulation of information from several scriptural references to determine its directional flow. Knowing the direction of the flow of the river Sidon could be helpful in identifying and verifying its actual location on the earth’s surface. It should be noted, however, that the results of this logical procedure are not conclusive and only provide plausible clues to the river’s course. We would prefer that the directional flow of the river Sidon were clearly stated in the Book of Mormon. But lacking this information, we are left with the alternative of analyzing logically the several references describing the river Sidon to see if such a procedure would yield an answer to our question. The principal intent of this analysis is not to challenge the views of others but to maintain an open-minded approach to the general goal of finding the Book of Mormon lands. What follows is presented in the spirit of this quest. It would be regrettable if the journey were halted because its fate relied solely on one questionable geographical detail—namely the directional flow of the river Sidon.

We propose that the general flow of the river Sidon was in a southwest direction, emptying into the sea west, and that it’s source was in the center of the land between the sea east and sea west. The following are the geographical conditions, scriptural references and logic that support this conclusion. The contribution of each step is important, even if some steps appear to be overly basic.

After two battles between the Nephites and Lamanites, the bodies of the slain were cast into the waters of Sidon and their bones were eventually carried to the sea (Alma 3:3; 44:22). There are two primary seas in the Book of Mormon geography where the river Sidon would have likely emptied: the sea west and the sea east (Alma 22:27, 32; 50:11. See also Bodies are Cast into the River Sidon in our main article, An Approach to the Book of Mormon Geography).

The position of the river Sidon relative to the land of Zarahemla is mentioned by Mormon in his account of the battle on the top of hill Amnihu. He states that the “the Amlicites came upon the hill Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla” (Alma 2:15). Because the river Sidon flows to the sea, at that segment of the river’s course by the land of Zarahemla, the river Sidon has to be above sea level, even if only by a few hundred feet. If the river Sidon is not above sea level at the place where it flows by the land of Zarahemla, then the land of Zarahemla would be in a basin below sea level and the river Sidon could not flow to the sea.

These wilderness areas are named for their cardinal directions: a north wilderness (Alma 2:36-37; 22:29); an east wilderness (Alma 25:5,8; 50:7,9,11; 62:34); a south wilderness (Alma 16:6-7; 31:3; 62:34); and a west wilderness (Alma 2:36; 8:3; 22:28; 43:27; 52:22). These four cardinal directions are relative to the land of Zarahemla. This orientation would require that the land of Zarahemla be located somewhere within the center of the four wilderness areas.

This watershed must be above the level of the river Sidon at the location where it flows by the land of Zarahemla. This would provide the river Sidon with a source of water above that level and for the river at the point to contain water that can continue to flow down to the sea. One or more of the four wilderness areas bordering the land of Zarahemla could be upland areas, and therefore, potential watersheds for the river Sidon. Moreover, all four wilderness areas could be uplands and, therefore, watersheds. No other potential upland features in the area of the land of Zarahemla, such as mountains or other wilderness areas, are mentioned in the Book of Mormon account.

The river Sidon can only flow down from one or more upland areas (its watershed), but it would need to flow around the other upland areas which can only be accomplished by following a course between any two upland wilderness areas and then on to the sea west or the sea east.

This divide would need to extend along the highest elevations of the wilderness uplands. A watershed divide is the same as a continental divide, forcing water to flow one way or another to the two seas: the sea west or the sea east. With a sea to the west and a sea to the east a watershed divide would most likely trend north to south between the two seas. Somewhere in the area involving the river Sidon there has to be a watershed divide because of the need for uplands areas as water sources, coupled with the requirement that the river ultimately empties into one of two seas.

Combining the logic of the Book of Mormon references describing the physical setting of both the land of Zarahemla and the river Sidon—that we have considered so far—yields the schematic map shown above. Note that a watershed divide would be required somewhere on the map. The river Sidon would need to flow downstream along the course of one of four general water routes to reach the sea, drawing its water source from one or more of the wilderness areas. These four potential water courses are shown on the schematic map. The river Sidon can not flow downstream to the sea by combining the courses of two of these water routes, unless we reverse the flow of one route, for example, the southwest and northeast routes. This, of course, would defy gravity, unless the river Sidon forms two rivers flowing in opposite directions. The Book of Mormon record mentions only one river, the river Sidon, and not two rivers, and it is the direction of flow of this one river we are attempting to determine.