Follower crossing river path (5)
I believe the answer is:
trail
'path' is the definition.
(trail is a kind of path)
'follower crossing river' is the wordplay.
'follower' becomes 'tail' (tail is a kind of follower).
'crossing' is an insertion indicator (to cross can mean to go over or around).
'river' becomes 'r' (abbreviation for river).
'tail' going around 'r' is 'TRAIL'.
(Other definitions for trail that I've seen before include "Track - be behind" , "Track, route" , "Fall behind" , "Stalk" , "Rough track blazed through wild or hilly country" .)