The Zealand River flows north out of Zealand Notch in the town of Bethlehem, New Hampshire. It is paralleled first by the Zealand Trail, a hiking trail, and then by Zealand Road, maintained by the White Mountain National Forest. The river valley separates Mount Hale to the west from Mount Tom to the east. Farther north, the Rosebrook Mountains overlook the river to the east, and the small pegmatite knobs known as South, Middle, and North Sugarloaf rise to the west. The river passes the national forest Zealand Campground and reaches the Ammonoosuc River just east of the village of Twin Mountain.