[1] Located on Graham Island it flows about 58 km (36 mi)[4] from Yakoun Lake north to Masset Inlet, a large saltwater bay located in the heart of the Graham Island and connected to the Pacific Ocean at Dixon Entrance via a long narrow inlet called Masset Sound.

The Yakoun River's watershed covers 550 km2 (210 sq mi),[5] and its mean annual discharge is an estimated 32.6 m3/s (1,150 cu ft/s).

The river originates at Yakoun Lake,[7] in south-central Graham Island, just north of Slatechuck Mountain and Skidegate Channel.

[14] An estuary at the mouth of Yakoun River serves as habitat for all coastal Pacific salmon species as well as cutthroat and steelhead trout.

There are 25 registered archaeological sites and extensive cultural features, such as remnants of canoes and fish weirs, within the conservancy.

[13] The Yakoun River's watershed provides the Haida with continuance of traditional cultural uses, such as monumental cedar and cedar bark harvesting, medicinal plant harvesting, hunting, fishing, food gathering, as well as providing a setting for spiritual use and cultural expression through monumental art.