It begins at the confluence of the Kō'ula River with the Manuahi Stream and flows generally south, with a total length of 24.2 km (15.0 mi)[2] to its mouth at Hanapepe and Eleele in the Pacific Ocean.

[5][6] The river drains the fertile Hanapepe Valley, a region that was historically used for growing rice, taro, coffee, and sugarcane.

[7][8] During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the valley attracted Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino immigrant workers, many of whom started their own farms or businesses.

The footbridge was built in 1911 to provide Hanapepe residents with a way to cross the river, and was restored in 1992 after Hurricane Iniki.

Considered a local tourist attraction, the bridge is popular with children due to its tendency to rock back and forth.