A tributary of the Smoky Hill River, it flows from eastern Colorado into western Kansas.

[4] Its source lies in extreme northern Cheyenne County, Colorado 29 miles (47 km) west-northwest of Cheyenne Wells, the county seat.

From there, the river flows east then east-northeast into Kansas.

[5][6] A few miles east of the reservoir, the river turns southeast and continues to its confluence with the Smoky Hill River in central Logan County 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Russell Springs.

[7] The river is intermittent with water flowing only during and after rains.