▁Dor ado ▁County , ▁just ▁two ▁rid ges ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁head w aters ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁F ork . ▁It ▁flows ▁west ward ▁for ▁its ▁entire ▁course , ▁roughly ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁F ork . ▁The ▁upper ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁flows ▁down ▁a ▁ste ep ▁can y on , ▁past ▁Cro ft , ▁receiving ▁Dog town ▁Creek ▁from ▁the ▁right ▁at ▁O mo ▁R anch . ▁Below ▁O mo ▁R anch ▁it ▁flows ▁through ▁a ▁gent ler ▁valley , ▁past ▁Out ing dale , ▁then ▁enters ▁another ▁short ▁can y on ▁where ▁it ▁receives ▁the ▁South ▁F ork ▁Cos umn es ▁River ▁from ▁the ▁left . ▁The ▁smaller ▁South ▁F ork , ▁about ▁ ▁long , ▁flows ▁generally ▁west ▁then ▁north west ▁along ▁the ▁El ▁Dor ado / Am ador ▁County ▁line , ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Middle ▁F ork . ▁Short ly ▁below ▁this ▁confl u ence ▁the ▁combined ▁rivers ▁join ▁with ▁the ▁North ▁F ork ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Cos umn es ▁River . ▁ ▁The ▁Cos umn es ▁River ▁proper ▁continues ▁west , ▁receiving ▁Big ▁Indian ▁Creek ▁from ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁passing ▁under ▁SR ▁ 4 9 ▁( G old en ▁Ch ain ▁Highway ). ▁It ▁wind s ▁through ▁the ▁scen ic ▁Sierra ▁fo oth ills ▁through ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁short ▁can y ons ▁separated ▁by ▁small ▁ran ch ing ▁valle ys . ▁It ▁receives ▁Big ▁C any on ▁Creek ▁from ▁the ▁right , ▁then ▁Little ▁Indian ▁Creek ▁from ▁the ▁left , ▁before ▁flow ing ▁through ▁its ▁last ▁g