The topography of the creek's watershed is mountainous in its upper reaches. However, in its lower reaches, the creek flows through a wide valley bordered by steep ridges. The creek's channel is sinuous and flows through rock formations consisting of sandstone and limestone, with some iron ore. All of the creek's watershed is located in the ridge and valley physiographic province. It contains fractured, faulted, and folded sedimentary rocks. While there is some young bedrock in the watershed, parts of it have eroded away to reveal older bedrock, which is more resistant to weathering than the younger bedrock. Old bedrock formations in the watershed include the Tuscarora Formation, the Juniata Formation, and the Bald Eagle Formation. The visible portions of these formations are sandstones and conglomerates. The floor of the Buffalo Creek valley is home to younger carbonates belonging to the Keyser Formation and the Tonoloway Formation.