The head of the river is at the base of a row of hills that rise more than 500 feet (150 m) above the inland edge of the coastal plain.

[2][3] From its head the river meanders south for about 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi),[1] passes under a small bridge carrying the New Hope - Delve Bridge road,[2] then swings east in a 600 metres (2,000 ft)[1] clockwise arc round the base of a ridge of the hills (passing under two small road bridges as it does so, the first carrying the New Hope - Delve Bridge road and the second the Springfield - New Hope road)[2] before heading south west through sugar cane fields for 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)[1] in a straight, open culvert to a point just north west of the village of Retreat.

[2] From Retreat the river arcs clockwise to flow north west out of the sugar cane into an area of swampy ground.

[2] Returning to flat agricultural terrain it continues north and west a little further, then arcs anti clockwise round another small hill to establish the westerly tendency which will carry it to the sea.

[2] Over its final 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi)[1] the river broadens dramatically as it flows along the southern edge of the Great Morass, gathering water as it goes, finally entering a culverted section and passing under its largest bridge (which carries the southern end of the main road paralleling Negril's seven mile beach) and out into the Caribbean Sea.