The Arctic Red River's headwaters are in the Mackenzie Mountains, from where it flows 500 km (310 mi) northwest to its confluence with the Mackenzie.[2]
The river flows through a deep canyon as it flows through the Peel Plateau. The Gwich'in name for the river, Tsiigèhnjik, translates as iron river. The lower 200 km (120 mi) of the river are navigable by kayakers and canoers, without requiring portaging.
Measured at a gauge about 90 km (56 mi) from the mouth,[3] the average flow between 1968 and 2011 was 158 m3/s (5,600 cu ft/s). The highest recorded discharge was 3,000 m3/s (110,000 cu ft/s) in May 1991. The minimum flow was 9.32 m3/s (329 cu ft/s) in December 1973.