[1] It flows southeast from its sources in the Douglas and Anatoki Ranges, reaching the Waingaro River 12 kilometres west of Upper Takaka.

The landslide lake was dammed when a spur of Mt Snowdon collapsed down a slope about 780 m (2,560 ft) high, during the 1929 Murchison Earthquake.

The earthquake also formed Lower Lake Lindsay by a similar landslide, in the next valley to the north.

[5] In 2016 the Soper Shelter was built near the lake, replacing an earlier backcountry hut in the landslip area.

[7] The entire length of the Stanley river is within Kahurangi National Park.