The Dead River in northern Maine (USA) originates at Flagstaff Lake and joins the Kennebec River at the West Forks. Two main tributaries flow into Flagstaff Lake, South Branch Dead River and North Branch Dead River.

It is a popular river with whitewater boaters and rafters. The whitewater releases are controlled from Flagstaff Lake, which has been dammed and made into a reservoir, and range from 1200 CFS to over 5000 CFS and range in difficulty from easy class 3 to class 4+. The length of the run is 15 miles from the put-in at Spencer Stream to the take-out at West Forks with no easy access by road and boaters must be prepared for at least 5 hours of paddling of varying difficulty.

The Dead River also played a role in the American Revolution; it was on the route for newly commissioned Colonel Benedict Arnold's attempted invasion of Canada in the Fall of 1775.