Little River begins north of Quartz Mountain and east of Hemlock Lake in the Umpqua National Forest of southwestern Oregon. Flowing north for about , it turns west before plunging over Yakso Falls. Beyond the falls, it receives Hemlock Creek from the left and then Junction and Pinnacle creeks from the right. Cedar Creek enters from the right about from the mouth. Over the next , Taft Creek enters from the right and then Clover and Black creeks from the left.