The Detour River is a tributary of the Turgeon River, which flows in Canada through the administrative regions of: The hydrographic slopes adjacent to the Detour River are: The Detour River originates in Northeastern Ontario, at the mouth of the "Upper Lake Detour" (length: 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi), elevation: 314 metres (1,030 ft)), southeast of the lake Lawagamau, east of the Chabbie River and north of "North Chabbie Lake".

The "Upper Detour Lake" has three parts bounded by peninsulas.

Its mouth is situated on the eastern shore of the northern part of the lake.

In this segment of Quebec, the Detour River collects the waters of: The mouth of the Detour River flows into the Turgeon River at 52 kilometres (32 mi) upstream of its confluence.

The place name Detour River (or "rivière de Détour", in French) was officially registered on December 5, 1968, at the Bank of Place Names of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.