The Russell River rises in the Wooroonooran National Park sourced from drainage of the Bellenden Ker Range, below Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker.

[2] In its upper reaches, the course of the river meanders highly as it flows south by east and exits the Wooroonooran National Park.

The river flows east of Babinda and then due north, bounded on both its east and western flanks by the Russell River National Park.

The river reaches its confluence with the Mulgrave River in an estuarine state, with the Mulgrave flowing east for a short distance to empty into Coral Sea via the Mutchero Inlet.

[2] The Russell River catchment area is estimated to be 669 square kilometres (258 sq mi) of which 68.8 square kilometres (26.6 sq mi) is wetlands.