Bear Creek

On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the TVA releases water from Upper Bear Creek Reservoir for recreation at 200 cfs. At any other time, running Bear Creek is not recommended due to an extremely low water level. TVA has done a superb job of building access areas and parking lots for swimmers, fishers and paddlers alike. They have acquired a 50-foot easement along the banks for people to use for walking, picnicking, fishing and the like; however, camping along the banks is prohibited.

You’ll love the scenery and are apt to come across some of the area's diverse wildlife during the slow sections of this stretch. There are high cliffs of rock and thick green forest much of the way. The bank easement lets you and your group pull off the river any time you like to take a break and stretch.

The creek itself is a fun mixture of falls, bends, fairly slow deep water, and rocky shoals. The water clarity ranges from muddy in some places to very clear in others. On the bottom are smooth rocks and sand good for wading and walking about.

A little bit before you come to beautiful and treacherous Factory Falls (more about that in a minute), there's another interesting place that will catch your attention. There are gigantic smooth, flat boulders on river right that you can walk on. Take a time-out to stop here and listen to the creek water as it rushes swiftly through the shoal just downstream.

Just past here comes Factory Falls. It is a wild fall due to a giant rock right in the middle of the drop, and would be foolish to attempt. Fortunately it is well marked with signs prior to reaching it, and arrows instructing paddlers where to get out and portage. The neat thing is when you portage you can walk close to the falls and enjoy the magnificence. After putting back in downstream from Factory Falls, there are a few more sets of rapids and some more gorgeous rock cliffs. Soon you'll approach the Rock Quarry take-out on river right.

You'll feel terrific after another great day in the Alabama outdoors.