 The headwaters of the creek originate in the city of Rockville, and the creek flows southward for  to the Potomac River.The Cabin John Stream Valley Trail follows the course of the creek for , passing through Cabin John Regional Park and Cabin John Local Park.The Union Arch Bridge carries MacArthur Boulevard and the Washington Aqueduct over the stream about 1/4 mile before the creek flows through a culvert under the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and empties into the Potomac.