[1][2] It is in the Pacific Ocean drainage basin, and is located in the North Cascades.

[3] Although a book on waterfalls says it was named for an old trading post near its mouth, hence the name "Depot",[3] the British Columbia Names Office says, in light of it also being known as Brown Creek after a US Army colonel who drowned in Chilliwack Lake in 1858 and buried next to the creek, it was probably located near a supply depot of the Boundary Commission, which was active from 1858 to 1861.

[1] Depot Creek begins at an unnamed lake Whatcom County, Washington State, United States, located in a cirque between Mount Redoubt and Mount Spickard.

The creek then drops over the falls and reaches the bottom of the valley.

From here the creek flows northwest, passes into British Columbia, Canada, and reaches its mouth at Chilliwack Lake near the lake's south end.