The Gaula is a river that flows through the Gauldal valley in Trøndelag county, Norway. The 153-kilometre (95 mi) long river is the largest in Central Norway. The river begins in Holtålen municipality near the mountain Kjølifjellet. It then flows through the municipalities of Holtålen, Midtre Gauldal, and Melhus before emptying into Trondheimsfjord near Leinstrand on the border between the municipalities of Trondheim and Melhus.

The Gaula River is approximately 152.8 kilometres (94.9 mi) long and it drains a watershed of about 3,661 square kilometres (1,414 sq mi). On its way, it is joined by one large tributary, the Sokna, at the village of Støren in Midtre Gauldal. Other smaller tributaries include the Rugla, Hesja, Holda, Forda, and Bua. The average flow of water is about 97 m/s (3,400 cu ft/s).

Within the Gaula River, there are two well known waterfalls called Gaulfoss close to the village of Hovin and the Eggafoss near the village of Haltdalen.

In 2005, the Gaula was named the best salmon fishing river in Norway with a catch of 37.5 tonnes (36.9 long tons; 41.3 short tons) that year. In 2008, it had a catch of 42.5 tonnes (41.8 long tons; 46.8 short tons). The Gaula is consistently listed among the top 5 salmon fishing rivers in Norway.