Short Creek

Short Creek is short in length, long on fun, and only 45 minutes from Huntsville. Five major III/IV rapids are arranged in a user-friendly, drop/pool configuration. Check the gage at State Highway 75, then put-in at the CR409 bridge. After an hour of warm-up on three class III rapids, you will pass under the CR414 bridge and immediately encounter Short Creek Falls. For the next mile and a half, another, smaller waterfall, numerous rock jumble eddy hop rapids, and the ominous sounding Rock Cruncher rapid will hold your attention. Below the Scarham Creek confluence, the last mile is a veritable whitewater gymnasium featuring myriad routes upon which you can refine your river-running skills. The pace finally slows as you hit the 2.5 mile paddle across Lake Guntersville that brings you to the Short Creek Ranger Station take-out on Hwy 227. You may get lucky and see a bald eagle in the winter months. Short Creek has adequate water fairly often in the winter and spring, and will hold for several days following a good rain.