The inlet is about 45 kilometres (28 mi) in length from its head at the community of Rivers Inlet, British Columbia, which is a logging and fishing town that is also the home of the Wuikinuxv people and their government, the Wuikinuxv Nation, also known variously as the Owekeeno, Awikenox, Oowekeeno and also as the Rivers Inlet people. The main rivers feeding Rivers Inlet are the Kilbella River and its tributary, the Chuckwalla, and the 3km Wannock River, which feeds the head of Rivers Inlet and is fed by the fresh-water fjord Owikeno Lake,50 km in length, and which is fed by the Tzeo, Sheemahant and Machmell Rivers. The Machmell, the largest, is fed from the northern flank of the Ha-Iltzuk Icefield, one of the largest of the southern Coast Mountain icecaps, and which is capped by the Silverthrone Caldera.
About 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) down the inlet, west from the town and the head of the inlet, is the mouth of a 30 kilometres (19 mi) side-inlet from the north, Moses Inlet, which is fed by the Clyak River and which itself has a western side-inlet named Hardy Inlet, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) in length.
