The headwaters of the river rise at the base of the Foster Range near the southwestern edge of the Drysdale River National Park. The river flows in a northerly direction along the Carson Escarpment and discharges into the King Edward River near Aragoon, about 12 kilometres (7 mi) south of Kalumburu. The river has four tributaries, including Morgan River, Swida Creek and Pronga-Marie Creek.
The river was named in 1886 by the explorer Charles Burrowes while surveying the area for the Victoria Squatting Company. He named it after the chairman of the company, David Carson.[4][5][6]