[An Einnseanair]

About 20 years ago I went canoeing somewhere in north-west Alabama with some fraternity brothers. Up until last week I would have sworn that it was the Bear River. But last week I actually went canoeing on the Bear (Bear Creek Canoe Rental, Hackleburg, AL, we did the upper run which included Factory Falls), and nothing was familiar. There WAS a little beer involved on that first trip, but apparently no bear.

I guess it doesn't matter, but it's really bugging me. Where was I all those years ago? Was it still the Bear, but a completely different location? Was it a completely different river? Different state?

Here's what I remember. The trip was in the early fall, I think. We left Starkville, drove north until we hit the Natchez Trace, crossed over the Tenn-Tom Waterway, then left the trace at some point and headed east. I don't remember the put-in. The river was fairly shallow and narrow, maybe because of the time of year. There were fairly tall earth banks close in on each side, but I don't remember much rock like the shear cliff faces on the upper Bear. There were no real rapids. The take-out is what I remember best, because I'm a structural engineer. There was a neat old pedestrian-only suspension bridge (swing bridge) across the creek at the take-out. I think the bridge was a major trail-head, and there was a fairly large parking lot nearby.

So am I remembering a river/creek in north-west Alabama, or did I partake of too much beer on that trip long ago?

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

About 20 years ago I went canoeing somewhere in north-west Alabama with some fraternity brothers. Up until last week I would have sworn that it was the Bear River. But last week I actually went canoeing on the Bear (Bear Creek Canoe Rental, Hackleburg, AL, we did the upper run which included Factory Falls), and nothing was familiar.

I had assumed that the canoe rental place and much of the creek took a hit from the recent tornado.... so they are open for business????

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

I had assumed that the canoe rental place and much of the creek took a hit from the recent tornado.... so they are open for business????

The tornado damage in the area was astounding, and they were right on the edge. It crossed Bear Creek just upstream of their location, mowing down trees in a huge swath. The roof of their once nice building is heavily damaged (covered by massive tarps), and they lost a lot of canoes. I think she said they lost all but 21, but I believe they've replaced some of them. They're working out of a temporary trailer parked next to the big building, but they're definitely open for business. They were very busy the Sunday of memorial Day weekend, shuttling both their boats and private boats to and from the upper run.

A large percentage of the nearby town of Hackleburg no longer exists. TVA has closed Bear Creek to fishing and navigation downstream of the Rock Quarry landing because of debris and trees blocking the creek and floating downstream.

[wake020810]

Maybe the Sipsey in Bankhead Forrest?

[An Einnseanair]

Found it... it WAS the Bear, but it was a different state. There's a 6.25 mile run through Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi. The take-out is at a CCA-built suspension bridge that looks exactly like the one I remembered.