The Maple River is a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the Sheyenne River

Sheyenne River

The Sheyenne River is one of the major tributaries of the Red River of the North, meandering across eastern North Dakota.The river begins about north of McClusky, North Dakota, and flows generally eastward before turning south near McVille. The southerly flow of the river continues through Griggs...

, about 198 miles (318.6 km) long, in the Red River Valley

Red River Valley

The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...

 of eastern North Dakota

North Dakota

North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Via the Sheyenne River, the Red River of the North

Red River of the North

The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...

, Lake Winnipeg

Lake Winnipeg

Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...

 and the Nelson River

Nelson River

The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its full length is , it has mean discharge of , and has a drainage basin of , of which is in the United States...

, the Maple is part of the watershed

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 of Hudson Bay

Hudson Bay

Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...

.

Course

The Maple River flows through Steele

Steele County, North Dakota

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,258 people, 923 households, and 635 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...

, Barnes

Barnes County, North Dakota

-National protected areas:*Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge*Tomahawk National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...

, Cass

Cass County, North Dakota

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 123,138 people, 51,315 households, and 29,814 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 53,790 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile...

 and Ransom

Ransom County, North Dakota

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,890 people, 2,350 households, and 1,560 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 2,604 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...

 counties. It begins as an intermittent stream near the town of Finley

Finley, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 515 people, 224 households, and 144 families residing in the city. The population density was 147.4 people per square mile . There were 256 housing units at an average density of 73.3 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.28% White, 1.75% Native...

 in Steele County, and flows generally southward to Enderlin

Enderlin, North Dakota

Enderlin is a city in Cass and Ransom counties in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The population was 886 at the 2010 census. Enderlin was founded in 1891....

, where it turns to the northeast and flows past Mapleton

Mapleton, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 606 people, 191 households, and 160 families residing in the city. The population density was 151.4 people per square mile . There were 193 housing units at an average density of 48.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.18% White, 0.17%...

. It joins the Sheyenne River about 5 miles (8 km) north of West Fargo

West Fargo, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,940 people, 5,771 households, and 4,091 families residing in the city, however the current population of West Fargo is estimated at over 26,000 residents. The population density was 2,049.2 per square mile . There were 5,968 housing units at an average...

, not far upstream of the Sheyenne's confluence with the Red.

At Enderlin it collects a short tributary known as the South Branch Maple River, which flows for its entire length in northern Ransom County.