The river rises from several short headstreams in southern McLean County that arise from a glacial moraine southeast of Bloomington - Normal, Illinois. Part of the moraine is publicly owned as the Moraine View State Recreation Area. The river 's course forms a large arc through central Illinois, first flowing east into Champaign County, Illinois, south through Mahomet, then west through Monticello and Decatur, then turning northwest to flow along the north side of Springfield. It receives Salt Creek at 40 ° 7 ′ 33.24 '' N 89 ° 49 ′ 30.36 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.1259000 ° N 89.8251000 ° W ﻿ / 40.1259000; - 89.8251000, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north - northwest of Springfield; then the river turns west, forming the southern boundary of Mason County with Menard and Cass counties. It joins the Illinois River from the east just north of Beardstown.
where does the sangamon river start and end
southeast of Bloomington - Normal, Illinois north of Beardstown