The creek is in the ridge and valley region and is near the southern terminus of the Wisconsinan glaciation.

A dam with a height of 18 feet (5.5 m) was constructed on Salem Creek by the Berwick Water Company.

It flows west for a short distance before entering a valley and turning southwest.

[1] Salem Creek joins the Susquehanna River 163.46 miles (263.06 km) upriver of its mouth.

The unnamed tributary is approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) long and joins Salem Creek downstream of Summer Hill.

[3] At the mouth of the creek, its peak annual discharge has a 10 percent chance of reaching 640 cubic feet per second.

The peak annual discharge of the creek has a 0.2 percent chance of reaching 4300 cubic feet per second.

Just upstream of Summer Hill, it passes through a rocky gorge with potholes and plunge pools.

Additionally, the creek descends through Sybert Hollow in its last 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to reach the elevation of the Susquehanna River.

[3] During the late Wisconsinan glaciation, Salem Creek, as well as several other streams in the area, served as a sluiceway for glacial meltwater.

The terminus of the Woodfordian glaciers crosses the creek 2.3 miles (3.7 km) upstream of the mouth.

The terminus then runs northward for 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to the foot of Lee Mountain.

These signs of glacial meltwater erosion are a series of potholes or plunge pools in the creek's valley.

[5] Illinoian till occurs at elevations lower than 700 feet (210 m) above sea level in the creek's valley.

[5] The creek is 1 mile (1.6 km) downriver of the village of Beach Haven on the Susquehanna River.

The former headwaters currently are part of the watershed of a shorter stream that flows eastward to the Susquehanna River.

[5] Salem Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979.