The course of this river flows through the regional county municipalities (MRCs) of: The lower part of this valley is served by the range road from Chicago West.

The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood generally occurs in April.

The Loutre river takes its source from a small lake (length: 0.1 kilometres (0.062 mi); altitude: 376 metres (1,234 ft)) located in agricultural area on the south side of the 5th range road.

The mouth of this small lake is located at the bottom of the west bay of the lake, either: From Lac des Brûlés, the course of the rivière à la Loutre descends on 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) in a generally deep valley, with a drop of 166 metres (545 ft), according to the following segments: The Loutre river flows in a loop of river on the east bank of the Gouffre river, in the municipality of Notre-Dame-des-Monts.

[1] The toponym “rivière à la Loutre” was formalized on February 25, 1976 at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.