Its source is in Zapato Chino Canyon on the east slope of Mustang Peak in the Diablo Range.

From there it runs northwest through Zapato Chino Canyon, in the Krayenhagen Hills, then passed across Pleasant Valley to the Guijarral Hills, then east through the Polvadero Gap, then runs northeast to its confluence with Los Gatos Creek.

According to the 1913, Gazetteer of Surface waters, California, in San Joaquin River Basin: The Fisk and Johnson Map referred to above, is the Manuscript map of San Joaquin Valley compiled by A. J. Fisk, Jr., and H. R. Johnson, in 1866.

Subsequently, Canoas Creek or Zapato Chino Creek must have changed their courses over time away from this confluence, into the separate channels they have today according to current maps and probably at the time in 1908 when official names were assigned.

[7] Strangely the GNIS Board Decision in 1908 was to name the whole length of the creek, Zapato Creek, apparently ignorant of local usage of Polvarderas, Polvadero or Pulvero or maybe ignoring it altogether as they do not appear on the decision card.