The creek begins at Onaping Dam[2] on Turceotte Bay on Onaping Lake in geographic Emo Township,[3] Sudbury District, and flows southeast then south, and takes in the left tributary Michaud River.

It continues south, passes into geographic Levack Township,[4] Greater Sudbury, takes in the right tributary Carhess Creek, flows over a long series of rapids, enters geographic Dowling Township[5] and passes under Ontario Highway 144 at the community of Levack.

The river then flows over the 55-metre (180 ft)[6] High Falls,[7] which can be viewed from a scenic lookout and nature and geologic trail accessible from the adjacent Ontario Highway 144[6][8] (the original Canadian Pacific Railway transcontinental main line — served on this portion of the track by the Via Rail Sudbury – White River train — is also tangent to the right bank of the river at this point).

[9] The falls area lies on fallback debris that resulted from the meteor impact that created the Sudbury Basin.

[9] The river then turns northeast, heads past the community of Dowling, enters the northwestern portion of geographic Balfour Township,[10] and reaches its mouth at the Vermilion River.