The surface of the Hogan River is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice movement is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

The Hogan River originates at the mouth of Hogan Lake (length: 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), elevation: 453 metres (1,486 ft)) located near the northwestern boundary of the Township of Saracen.

This head lake is located at 0.9 kilometres (0.56 mi) south-west of a mountain peak of 560 metres (1,840 ft).

From there, the current flows south-east along the Normandin River on 38.7 kilometres (24.0 mi) to the northwestern shore of Ashuapmushuan Lake.

The toponym "Hogan River" was formalized on March 28, 1972, at the Commission de toponymie du Québec, when it was created.