It is formed by the confluence of its two forks in southeastern Crook County, a sparsely populated part of Central Oregon.

North Fork Beaver Creek flows south and then west around Laughlin Table.

[3] The Beaver Creek main stem flows west from the forks' confluence to near Birdsong Butte then southwest down Paulina Valley past the unincorporated community of Paulina to join the South Fork Crooked River.

The stream flows under the highway twice, first slightly upstream of Paulina and then further downstream near Profanity Gulch.

A short paved trail at the campground follows Sugar Creek through a forest of ponderosa pines.