[1] The river rises at the head of American Fork Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Salt Lake City.

[3] Fly fishermen commonly target smaller rainbow trout (measuring 6–12 in.)

– and to a lesser extent brown trout – in the river during summer and fall, when strong runoff and snowfall do not limit access.

In addition to fish, a rich community of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies is also present in the American Fork river.

[5] Spill events contributing toxic metals to the river have deemed waters dangerous to humans at times,[6] but work has also been done by the U.S. Forest Service to remove tailings from mining sites.