The Blackwater Paddler's Guide: Alabama Edition

Little River Canyon

American Whitewater calls it the premier whitewater river in Alabama, a sandstone canyon with blue green water. Above Little River Falls it is mostly Class I to II. From the falls down through the canyon it is Class II to VI, and the Park Service says that part is not for canoes, only advanced and expert kayakers.

Class

Class I to VI, by section

Where

Lookout Mountain, near Fort Payne, AL

Best season

Rain-fed. The Park Service says November through April is the usual window. It can run into May and after big summer storms.

Length

A 10-mile sandstone canyon on top of Lookout Mountain.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is listed. Canyon Mouth Park, the usual take-out, has a $15 per vehicle day-use fee set by the Park Service. No motorized boats.

Gauge

USGS 02399200 near Blue Pond sits at Canyon Mouth Park. American Whitewater calls 250 cfs the minimum for the Chairlift and Suicide runs, and 175 cfs for the Upper Two. The Park Service warns its reading may not match the river upstream, and levels can change fast after rain. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

True Adventure Sports (Fort Payne) offers guided paddling, safety classes and gear rentals near the preserve.

Camping

The Park Service does not allow camping in the preserve. DeSoto State Park nearby has an improved campground, primitive tent sites, backpacking sites and cabins.

Hazards

Sieves, siphons and undercuts on the Suicide Section. The Roadblock hole on the Upper Two has held boats for hours and has killed a paddler. Little River Falls is Class V+. There is no cell service in much of the canyon.

The runs

Chairlift: Eberhart Point to Canyon Mouth Park (5.7 mi). Class II to III+ with two Class IV, Blue Hole Memorial and Bottleneck. Both can be portaged on the right.
Upper Two: Upper Two to Eberhart Point (5.9 mi). Class III to IV (V). Roadblock and Humpty Dumpty, then a nonstop last mile. Advanced paddlers.
Suicide Section: Highway 35 to Upper Two (3 mi). Class IV to V, full of sieves and undercuts. Advanced and expert kayakers only.

Put-ins and take-outs

Canyon Mouth Park; Eberhart Point (Chairlift put-in); Highway 35 at Little River Falls (Suicide Section put-in); Lake Lahusage dam (East Fork put-in)

Recommended by

National Park Service (Little River Canyon National Preserve); American Whitewater

Suggested: Chairlift, Eberhart Point to Canyon Mouth (5.7 mi)

1. Check the Blue Pond gauge first. Put in at Eberhart Point, scout Blue Hole Memorial and Bottleneck from river right, and portage either on the right if it looks wrong. Take out at Canyon Mouth Park. Kayaks only below the falls.

Packed lunch and snacks. Carry your own. One gallon per person for the day.

Locust Fork

One of the most popular easy whitewater runs in Alabama, drop and pool through a rocky valley. House Rock, Tilt-a-Whirl, Double Trouble and Bullard Shoals come before the Swann covered bridge. Powell Falls, a 7 foot slide, waits below it. William Nealy learned to paddle here.

Class

Class II to III+

Where

Blount County, between Blountsville and Cleveland

Best season

In a decent water year it runs most of the winter and spring. Kayakers favor the higher spring flows. Check the level before every trip.

Length

5.6 miles on the lower whitewater run. The flatter upper run is 10.1 miles.

Permit and access

No permit. Put in on the north side of the US 231/79 bridge, river right. The old south side is off limits. Take out river right at County Road 160; Friends of the Locust Fork warns that bank is steep and overgrown, and Swann Covered Bridge at mile 3.5 is the easier take-out.

Gauge

USGS 02455000 near Cleveland, at the put-in bridge. American Whitewater gives 2.2 to 6.0 ft for the lower run: mostly Class II+ up to 3.5 ft, Class III above that, pushy from 4 ft. The upper run goes from 1.5 ft. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

No outfitter is listed for the whitewater run; River Beach Outfitters (Snead) rents on the upper river. Run your own shuttle between the put-in bridge and County Road 160.

Camping

No riverside camping is listed for this run. Book a campground or cabin nearby ahead of time.

Hazards

House Rock is undercut and the current pushes into it. Double Trouble has an undercut ledge and a sieve near the second drop; swim left. Powell Falls grows holes at high water. Logs collect at S-Turn.

The runs

US 231/79 bridge to County Road 160 (5.6 mi). Class II to III+. Double Trouble near mile 2, Powell Falls near mile 4.6.
US 231/79 bridge to Swann Bridge (3.5 mi). Skips Powell Falls and the steep County Road 160 hill. Park river right.
County Road 1 (Five Points Rd) to US 231/79 (10.1 mi). Class II. Flat at first, then a 5 foot waterfall near mile 4.8 to scout.

Put-ins and take-outs

US 231/79 bridge put-in (north side, river right); Swann Covered Bridge (river right) (alternate put-in / take-out); CR 160 bridge take-out (river right); CR 1 (Five Points Rd) put-in

Recommended by

American Whitewater; Black Warrior Riverkeeper; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Suggested: US 231/79 bridge to County Road 160 (5.6 mi)

1. Put in river right at the US 231/79 bridge. Scout Double Trouble from the island, run Bullard Shoals to Swann Bridge at mile 3.5, then Powell Falls and out river right at County Road 160. Take out at Swann to skip the falls.

Packed lunch and snacks in a dry bag. One gallon per person for the day.

Sipsey Fork

Alabama's only National Wild and Scenic River, running through the Bankhead National Forest under rock bluffs up to 100 feet high, with side creeks falling in off the cliffs. The float from County Road 60 to Highway 33 is calm moving water broken by shoals, with one named rapid, the 100 Yard Dash.

Class

Class I to II

Where

Bankhead National Forest, Winston County, AL

Best season

Floats after rain, mostly fall through spring. In a summer drought it can drop to inches. Anglers like April to May and October to November.

Length

61.4 miles designated Wild and Scenic, the only one in Alabama.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is listed. Check the Forest Service page for the Sipsey River Picnic Area put-in before you go.

Gauge

USGS 02450250, Sipsey Fork near Grayson, is the gauge for this run. American Whitewater calls 200 to 350 cfs the best level, a four to five hour float. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

No outfitter is listed for this river. Run your own shuttle between County Road 60 and Highway 33.

Camping

The Forest Service runs a reserved campground at Corinth Recreation Area on upper Smith Lake. Ask the Bankhead Ranger District about camping near the river before you go.

Hazards

Downed trees collect in places, so give wood room. Low water can mean short carries around shoals. The river can rise fast after heavy rain from fall through spring.

The runs

County Road 60 to Highway 33 (9.5 mi). Class I with one Class II, the 100 Yard Dash. The most popular float.
Thompson Creek (FS Road 208) to County Road 60 (9.5 mi). Inside the Sipsey Wilderness. Wet months only. Plan on ten hours or more.
Highway 33 to FS Road 109A below Sandy Creek (4.5 mi). Slow water toward Smith Lake. Striped bass in spring.

Put-ins and take-outs

Sipsey River Picnic Area canoe launch (County Road 60) (put-in); W.T. Mims Family Public Access Point (Highway 33) (take-out); Thompson Creek iron-bridge access (FS Rd 208); County Road B15 (FS Rd 109A) access below Sandy Creek

Recommended by

Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama); American Whitewater; USDA Forest Service (Bankhead National Forest)

Suggested: County Road 60 to Highway 33 (9.5 mi)

1. Put in at the Sipsey River Picnic Area canoe launch on County Road 60. Float under the bluffs, run the 100 Yard Dash about halfway, and take out at the Highway 33 public access. Four to five hours at a good level.

Packed lunch and snacks. No drinking water at the put-in. One gallon per person.

Bear Creek Floatway

A dam-fed float through undisturbed forest in northwest Alabama, with fast water, rapids and waterfalls to pull over and see. It is mostly Class I with a few spots approaching Class II, and it slows and deepens below Military Bridge before it backs up into Bear Creek Reservoir.

Class

Class I to II, two portages

Where

Below Upper Bear Creek Dam, near Hackleburg, AL

Best season

Dam releases float it every weekend and holiday, Memorial Day to Labor Day. Water comes up Saturday at 6 a.m. and shuts off Sunday at 4 p.m.

Length

26 miles of floatway, from Upper Bear Creek Dam to Bear Creek Reservoir.

Permit and access

No BCDA permit is needed on the floatway. Wear a life jacket. Land only at the access points, and not at all between Highways 5 and 241 unless it is an emergency.

Gauge

USGS 03591800 is Bear Creek near Hackleburg. Floating water comes from TVA releases, so check the TVA release schedule too. No paddling range is published for this river. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Bear Creek Canoe Run (Hackleburg) rents canoes and kayaks and runs shuttles. It is seasonal, open about late May to early September.

Camping

No camping or fires on the floatway. BCDA runs campgrounds on its nearby lakes, usually open mid-March to mid-October.

Hazards

Upper Factory Falls is Class IV and Lower Factory Falls is Class VI. The authority says both require a mandatory portage; the BCDA map and brochure put the Lower Factory Falls portage on the right bank; its web page says left, so scout it. Dam releases can raise the water without warning, so get off the creek if it starts to rise.

The runs

Highway 5/13 to Rock Quarry Branch (about 9.2 mi). By BCDA river-mile markers 113.9 to 104.7. Both Factory Falls portages are on this stretch.
Rock Quarry Branch to Military Bridge (about 9 mi). By BCDA river-mile markers 104.7 to 95.7. Good spotted bass water.
Military Bridge to Scott Bridge (about 6.4 mi). By BCDA river-mile markers 95.7 to 89.3. Flatter, deeper, slower water.

Put-ins and take-outs

Highway 5/13 Access; Mill Creek Access (Highway 241); Rock Quarry Branch Access (Highway 172); Military Bridge Access (Co. Rd. 53); Scott Bridge Access (Highway 187); Upper Factory Falls portage; Lower Factory Falls portage

Recommended by

Bear Creek Development Authority; Alabama Scenic River Trail; American Whitewater

Suggested: Rock Quarry Branch to Military Bridge (about 9 mi)

1. Go on a release weekend. Put in at Rock Quarry Branch on Highway 172 and float about 9 miles by BCDA's river-mile markers to Military Bridge on County Road 53. Land only at access points. Sunday, finish by the 4 p.m. shutoff.

Packed lunch. No fires on the floatway. One gallon per person.

Paint Rock River

A calm Class I river for families and first timers, with wooded banks and picnic beaches. It runs free to the Tennessee River through limestone country.

Class

Class I

Where

Paint Rock, Jackson County, on US Highway 72 east of Huntsville

Best season

No season is published for this river. The outfitter runs it as a family float; call ahead to reserve.

Length

The common float is about 5 miles.

Permit and access

The upper river's bed and banks may be private. Get the landowner's permission before you cross or wade, and reach the water at county road bridges.

Gauge

USGS 03574500 near Woodville. No paddling range is published for this river. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Paint Rock River Canoe & Kayak Rental (Paint Rock) rents boats and runs the shuttle. Reserve ahead.

Camping

No riverside camping is listed. Jackson County has campgrounds and cabins off the river.

Hazards

Class I water, but still check the level before you go. The upper river's banks may be private; stay off them without permission.

The runs

Paint Rock River Canoe & Kayak to the Highway 72 bridge (5 mi). Class I. Launch from the outfitter's lot; they shuttle you back from the take-out.

Put-ins and take-outs

Paint Rock River Canoe & Kayak launch (outfitter lot); Highway 72 bridge take-out

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail (listed outfitter); Visit Jackson County (Jackson County tourism)

Suggested: Paint Rock float to Highway 72 (5 mi)

1. Reserve with the outfitter, launch from their riverside lot and drift about 5 miles of Class I water to the take-out near the Highway 72 bridge. The outfitter shuttles you back to your car.

Packed lunch and snacks. Picnic beaches along the way. One gallon per person for the day.

Cahaba River

Alabama's longest free-flowing river, with 135 fish species in the river and its tributaries. Near Birmingham it is a narrow shoal stream about 50 feet wide. In Bibb County it spreads over broad rock shoals where the Cahaba lily grows, and Hargrove Shoals in the national wildlife refuge holds the largest known stand.

Class

Easy water, shoals and ledges

Where

Central Alabama, from Trussville through Birmingham to Centreville

Best season

February through May suits most of the river. Summer often leaves the reaches near Birmingham too shallow. The lilies bloom in early to mid-May.

Length

191 miles of river, the Cahaba Blueway says. The Alabama Scenic River Trail gives 194.

Permit and access

Living River launches and the County Road 52 take-out are by appointment. The Nature Conservancy asks you to email ahead to unload behind its gates.

Gauge

USGS 02423647 near West Blocton and 02424000 at Centreville cover the lily shoals. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Adventure Shoals in Centreville rents tubes for a 2.5 mile Cahaba float with a shuttle. It closes in low water, so call ahead. For everything else, plan your own shuttle.

Camping

The Cahaba Blueway says camp only where the Alabama Scenic River Trail lists a site. Living River hosts paddlers who camp by appointment. The banks and gravel bars are private, so stay on the water.

Hazards

Fallen trees and submerged rocks. Shoals turn into walking when the water is low. Stay off the river when it is high or right after a storm. The dam just below the US 280 bridges is very dangerous, so stay well upstream of it.

The runs

Grants Mill to Old Overton (6.9 mi). The most popular run near Birmingham. Shallow in summer and best from December to June.
Caffee Creek to Pratt's Ferry, through Hargrove Shoals (5.0 mi). Nearly a mile of lily shoals, then 1 to 2 ft ledges. Email ahead to use the take-out.
Pratt's Ferry to Centreville (8.1 mi). Flat water and mild shoals under cliffs. Keep right at the 2 ft drop near mile 7.5.

Put-ins and take-outs

Trussville; Grants Mill (put-in); Old Overton (put-in / take-out); Mountain Brook Cahaba River Walk (put-in / take-out); Helena (Buck Creek, Helena Amphitheater Park); Booths Ford (put-in); Living River / Tate's Landing; Cahaba River NWR boat ramp (put-in / take-out); Cahaba River NWR Canoe Beach (put-in); Cahaba River NWR Caffee Creek (put-in / take-out); Bibb County Glades Preserve (Little Cahaba); Pratt's Ferry; Centreville (put-in / take-out)

Recommended by

Cahaba Blueway; Alabama Scenic River Trail; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Cahaba River refuge); Alabama DCNR

Suggested: Caffee Creek to Pratt's Ferry, Hargrove Shoals (5 mi)

1. Put in at Caffee Creek in the refuge. Hargrove Shoals starts about 0.7 mile down and runs nearly a mile. Stay near a bank, usually the right. The Little Cahaba comes in at mile 2.7. Take out below Pratt's Ferry Bridge.

Packed lunch and snacks. Carry out all your trash. One gallon per person for the day.

Hatchet Creek

A clear, secluded creek out of the Talladega National Forest, running through heavy woods to Lake Mitchell on the Coosa. Pools break over rocky shoals. Cahaba lilies bloom in the shallows in mid-May. The Alabama Scenic River Trail marks it every half mile and lists primitive campsites along it.

Class

Class I to II, one 2.5 ledge

Where

Coosa County near Rockford, central Alabama

Best season

Spring and summer, after adequate rain (Alabama Scenic River Trail). Flows run highest in late winter and early spring and lowest in summer (Outdoor Alabama).

Length

About 40 miles, dropping more than 400 feet to Lake Mitchell.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is published. The bed and banks may be private. Launch at the bridges and ask the landowner before you cross or wade.

Gauge

USGS 02408540 below Rockford is the gauge American Whitewater uses. The Alabama Scenic River Trail calls 600 cfs ideal, and Outdoor Alabama says expect to drag your boat below about 400 cfs. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

The Alabama Scenic River Trail says bring your own gear. Coosa River Adventures in Wetumpka offers gear through its Tote and Float program.

Camping

Primitive campsites from the Alabama Scenic River Trail: Shady Retreat on a big sandy beach and the Double Bridges take-out on the lower run, and more on the upper creek.

Hazards

A sharp-edged Class 2.5 ledge on the lower run. A breached concrete dam just below US 231. On the upper creek you must take out at Clay County Road 511; a 12-foot drop over a dam lies below.

The runs

Kings Bridge (Co. Rd. 18) to Double Bridges (Co. Rd. 29) (9.2 mi). Pool and drop, one Class 2.5 ledge. Shady Retreat beach near the end. Dirt ramp at the take-out.

Put-ins and take-outs

Kings Bridge (Coosa County Road 18) (put-in / take-out); Double Bridges (Coosa County Road 29) (take-out); Highway 280 bridge near Goodwater (put-in); US Highway 231 bridge north of Rockford (access); Clay County Road 7; Clay County Road 511; County Road 4 bridge near East Mill (access); Highway 29 bridge north of Kelley's Crossroads (access)

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR); American Whitewater

Suggested: Kings Bridge to Double Bridges (9.2 mi)

1. Check the Rockford gauge first. Put in just above Kings Bridge on County Road 18. Run the pools and shoals, scout the sharp Class 2.5 ledge, rest at the Shady Retreat beach and take out on the dirt ramp at Double Bridges.

Packed lunch and snacks. One gallon per person for the day.

Coosa River

The Coosa comes in from Georgia, and the Alabama Scenic River Trail starts at the state line. Six Alabama Power dams hold most of it. Below Jordan Dam it runs past Wetumpka as one of the biggest volume whitewater runs in the Southeast. Mostly flat, with Spanish moss, Class II shoals and Moccasin Gap.

Class

Class II, one Class III

Where

Below Jordan Dam to Wetumpka, central Alabama

Best season

Spring through fall (Alabama Scenic River Trail). Flow comes from Jordan Dam; Alabama Power posts a three-day operating schedule on apcshorelines.com and its Shorelines app.

Length

About 255 miles in Alabama.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is published. Other put-ins below the dam cross private land.

Gauge

USGS 02411600 at Wetumpka is the gauge for this run. The flow is the Jordan Dam release. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Coosa River Adventures (Wetumpka) rents boats and runs the shuttle.

Camping

Plan it as a day trip.

Hazards

The rocks are very sharp and cut boats and paddlers. Powerboats use this water. At River Falls stay right of the island; the left channel is shallow and collects wood. Flow changes with the dam.

The runs

Jordan Dam to Gold Star Park, Wetumpka (7.4 mi). Class II shoals, Moccasin Gap (III) at mile 3.5. Its left line runs as a Class II.
Wetumpka outfitter trip through Moccasin Gap (3 to 4 mi). A 4 to 5 hour float with rental and shuttle from Coosa River Adventures.

Put-ins and take-outs

Jordan Dam put-in (Alabama Power launch, east side); Wetumpka Gold Star Park (take-out); Coosa River Adventures take-out; Fort Toulouse (access); Crommelin Landing (access)

Recommended by

American Whitewater; Alabama Scenic River Trail; Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR)

Suggested: Jordan Dam to Gold Star Park (7.4 mi)

1. Check the Jordan release first. Put in below the dam, paddle 1.5 miles of flatwater to River Falls and stay right of the island. Run Moccasin Gap at mile 3.5 or take the left line, then take out at Gold Star Park on river left.

Packed lunch and snacks. One gallon per person for the day.

Tallapoosa River

A clear Piedmont river of flat water and shoals, with shoal lilies and bald eagles. The Harold Banks Canoe Trail runs 25 miles through Tallapoosa and Chambers Counties and right through Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. Below Thurlow Dam at Tallassee it drops over the fall line as a short dam-release whitewater run on a big, open river.

Class

Class I; II to IV at Tallassee

Where

East central Alabama, Wadley to Dadeville, and Tallassee

Best season

Year-round, best in spring and summer (Alabama Cooperative Extension). The Tallassee run below Thurlow Dam follows Alabama Power's releases, so check them before you launch.

Length

The Harold Banks Canoe Trail covers 25 miles of it through Tallapoosa and Chambers Counties.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is published. To leave a car overnight at the Miller Bridge ramp, get a permit at the Horseshoe Bend visitor center.

Gauge

USGS 02414500 at Wadley and 02414715 at Horseshoe Bend cover the canoe trail. Alabama Cooperative Extension calls 1,500 to 10,000 cfs favorable, with dragging below 1,500 and danger above 10,000. USGS 02419500 at Milstead covers the Tallassee run. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Tallapoosa River RV and Outdoor (Heflin) rents kayaks with a shuttle on the upper river. No outfitter is listed for the canoe trail, so plan your own shuttle.

Camping

Campsites on Section 1 and at Jay Bird Creek. No camping along the river inside Horseshoe Bend National Military Park.

Hazards

Harris Dam releases upstream set the level. The Miller Bridge ramp area is very rocky. Below Thurlow, Tallapoosa Falls is Class IV and full of potholes, caves and pinning spots; scout it or take the river left sneak.

The runs

Horseshoe Bend Bridge (Highway 49) to Jay Bird Creek (6 mi). Section 3, about 4 hours. Shoal lilies, Peters Island and Irwin Shoals.
Germany's Ferry Bridge to Horseshoe Bend Bridge (9.75 mi). Section 2, about 6 hours. Mile-long Griffin Shoals, then the park.
Thurlow Dam to boat ramp, Tallassee (1.6 mi). Class II to IV. Tallapoosa Falls (IV) near the end; a river left sneak goes around it.

Put-ins and take-outs

Miller Bridge Boat Ramp (Horseshoe Bend Bridge, Highway 49) (put-in / take-out); Bibby's Ferry Access; Germany's Ferry Access; Peters Island (access); Jay Bird Creek access; Thurlow run take-out: public boat ramp below the Falls, Tallassee

Recommended by

National Park Service (Horseshoe Bend); Alabama Cooperative Extension (Harold Banks Canoe Trail); American Whitewater

Suggested: Horseshoe Bend Bridge to Jay Bird Creek (6 mi)

1. Check the Horseshoe Bend gauge first. Launch at the Horseshoe Bend Bridge on Highway 49 (the park's Miller Bridge ramp) and float about 4 hours past Peters Island, Laura's Leap and Irwin Shoals to the Jay Bird Creek access.

Packed lunch and snacks. One gallon per person for the day.

Alabama River

Big, slow water on the core Alabama Scenic River Trail. Corps of Engineers dams make it a chain of lakes that mostly stay in the old river channel. The Selma run passes Gardiner Island and runs under the Edmund Pettus Bridge into downtown Selma.

Class

Flatwater, rated advanced

Where

Central Alabama, Steele's Landing to downtown Selma

Best season

Spring, summer and fall (Alabama Scenic River Trail).

Length

Formed by the Coosa and Tallapoosa near Montgomery. The Selma run is 19 miles.

Permit and access

No paddling permit is published. Steele's Landing charges a $5 day-use fee.

Gauge

USGS 02421351 below Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam near Benton reads above the put-in, and 02423000 at Selma reads near the take-out. No paddling range is published for this river. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

Coosa River Adventures (Wetumpka) rents boats for this run through its Tote n Float program.

Camping

Roland Cooper State Park near Camden, downstream on Millers Ferry Lake, has a campground.

Hazards

The Alabama Scenic River Trail rates this run advanced. Few places to stop on the 19 miles to Selma. The river below Montgomery is commercially navigable. Check the level and plan a long day before you launch.

The runs

Steele's Landing to Selma City Marina (19 mi). Few stops. Gardiner Island makes a lunch spot. Passes the Edmund Pettus Bridge before the take-out.

Put-ins and take-outs

Steele's Landing (put-in); Selma City Marina at the Sandbar (take-out); Benton boat ramp

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail (National Water Recreation Trail); Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR)

Suggested: Steele's Landing to Selma City Marina (19 mi)

1. Check the Benton and Selma gauges. Launch at Steele's Landing, stop for lunch at Gardiner Island, then pass the paper plant and paddle under the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the Sandbar at Selma City Marina.

Packed lunch and snacks for a long day. One gallon per person for the day.

Bartram Canoe Trail, Mobile-Tensaw Delta

The nation's second largest river delta, a quarter million acres of cypress-tupelo swamp, bottomland hardwoods and marsh. Alabama State Lands marks the Bartram Canoe Trail through it: day trails out of the upper delta landings near Stockton, overnight routes to floating platforms, and elevated shelters in the tidal lower delta.

Class

Flatwater, moderate navigation

Where

North of Mobile Bay. Upper landings near Stockton, lower delta near Spanish Fort.

Best season

Water level sets the season. Winter brings low water, and a north wind on a falling tide can leave you stranded in the back of a slough.

Length

Six day trails of 6.5 to 10.2 miles. Two-day routes run 7 to 16 miles.

Permit and access

Platforms and shelters are by State Lands reservation only: one night per site, noon to noon, eight people at most. Carry your confirmation number and a PFD for everyone.

Gauge

State Lands reads the upper delta off USGS 02428401, the Alabama River below Claiborne Dam. It calls 6 to 19 feet on the tailrace the best range for most routes and anything higher hazardous. The lower delta runs on the tide. USGS 02471019 sits on the Tensaw near Mount Vernon. Read it live in the CWS app before you launch.

Outfitters

The Alabama Scenic River Trail lists Mobile Kayak Rental Company, Sunshine Canoe Rental and Wild Native Tours to deliver kayaks to Five Rivers and Bartram Landing. Most day trails start and end at the same landing, so no shuttle is needed.

Camping

Reserve a floating platform or shelter, or take a first come land site at Two Rivers Point or Spoonbill Sandbar. Hunting is allowed, so camp only at designated sites. No fires on the platforms.

Hazards

Alligators: do not try to slip past one hauled out on a narrow slough. Falling tides in the lower delta, confusing channels on Globe Creek, logjams after storms, and summer heat. State Lands discourages swimming.

The runs

Indian Mound Island Trail, from Rice Creek Landing (9.1 mi). Around Richardson Island, through Bayou Jessamine into Bottle Creek, to a foot trail to the Indian Mound.
Red Hill/Proctor Creek Trail, from Hubbard Landing (6.5 mi). Up Tensaw Lake into Proctor Creek, Dead Lake slough and Red Hill Creek.
Cloverleaf Landing to Bartram Landing (6.4 mi). Lower delta by the Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers. Moderate, some navigation needed.

Put-ins and take-outs

Rice Creek Landing (put-in / take-out); Hubbard Landing (put-in / take-out); Upper Bryant Landing (put-in / take-out); French's Lake Coastal Access Kiosk (put-in); Bartram Landing (5 Rivers Delta Center) (put-in / take-out); Cloverleaf Landing (put-in); Blakeley Park Ramp Landing (put-in); Scott's Landing (take-out)

Recommended by

Alabama State Lands Division, ADCNR (Bartram Canoe Trail); Alabama Scenic River Trail

Suggested: Two Rivers Point, 2 days from Rice Creek (14.1 mi)

1. Launch at Rice Creek Landing, paddle up Tensaw Lake, through Bayou Tallapoosa to the Tensaw River, and down to the Two Rivers Point campsite. It is first come, first served, so have a fallback.
2. Run down the Tensaw to Bottle Creek, through Bayou Jessamine to Tensaw Lake, and back to Rice Creek Landing. State Lands puts the whole loop at 14.1 miles.

Stove meals. Pack out every scrap; a portable toilet is required on overnight trips. Carry all your drinking water. State Lands warns heat exhaustion is a real risk and says to drink plenty.

Town Creek

A creek run from just below High Falls down a forested canyon to Lake Guntersville, rated Class II to III (V) by American Whitewater. American Whitewater calls 250 cfs the minimum on the Geraldine gauge.

Best run

High Falls Park to Lake Guntersville (7.3 mi)

Gauge

USGS 03572900

Hazards

The Blockage, a Class V two-thirds down, has undercuts and has killed a paddler; most paddlers walk it on the right.

Recommended by

American Whitewater

Hurricane Creek

A rain-fed creek that joins the Little River above Little River Falls. The lower run has an 8-foot ledge and a quarter mile of Class IV boulder rapids. It runs only during or just after two inches of rain or more, drops out fast, and has no gauge.

Best run

Oak Hill Road NE to the Little River (4.2 mi)

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

Class IV ledges on the lower run, wood to carry on the upper. It runs only right after heavy rain. The upper put-in is a private driveway.

Recommended by

American Whitewater

Cypress Creek

A sand and gravel creek with excellent water quality, flowing all year through Lauderdale County to the Tennessee River. Outdoor Alabama calls County Road 16 to Wildwood Park the best float, a fairly easy 8 to 9 miles. The Wildwood Park launch closes at dark.

Best run

County Road 16 to Wildwood Park (8 to 9 mi)

Gauge

USGS 03590000

Hazards

A dangerous dam sits about 5,000 feet below Cox Creek Parkway. Stay 100 feet away and use the portage trail on the right.

Recommended by

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)

Buttahatchee River

An easy half-day float through Hamilton, past caves and shoals, between two canoe and kayak launches. The Alabama Scenic River Trail lists it at 4.4 miles and two to four hours, depending on the water.

Best run

Munsingwear launch to Tree House launch, Hamilton (4.4 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02438000

Hazards

Time depends on the level, so check it first. No outfitter nearby; run your own shuttle.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail

Tennessee River (Lake Guntersville)

The Tennessee runs 75 miles through Lake Guntersville. The Alabama Scenic River Trail lists a peaceful lake paddle along the shoreline, past secluded coves and towering trees, good for a leisurely afternoon.

Best run

Langston Boat Ramp to Morgan's Cove Boat Ramp (4.5 mi)

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

Visit Huntsville warns of heavy boat traffic in the Tennessee's main channel. Stay near the shore and out of the channel.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Visit Huntsville (Huntsville/Madison County CVB)

Flint River (Alabama)

Huntsville's premier paddling river: calm water under wooded banks with bass, bluegill and catfish. The Alabama Scenic River Trail says it runs best at 7 to 8 ft on the Brownsboro gauge. Visit Huntsville lists three outfitters on it.

Best run

Ryland Pike Access to Hays Nature Preserve (Cherokee Landing) (11.5 mi)

Gauge

USGS 03575100

Hazards

Blown-down trees are the main obstacle. Below Hays Nature Preserve the river is rarely run and choked with wood.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Visit Huntsville (Huntsville/Madison County CVB)

Mulberry Fork

One of the most popular whitewater runs in Alabama: a wide Class II play river for beginners and experts alike. American Whitewater says surfing gets good above 2 ft on the old put-in bridge gauge, not USGS. The Birmingham Canoe Club owns the take-out.

Best run

Garden City River Park to Whitewater Drive, Hayden (3.3 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02450000

Hazards

Respect the club take-out: no trespassing on neighbors and no parking in the cul-de-sac.

Recommended by

American Whitewater; Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Big Canoe Creek

A gentle family creek near Springville. It holds over fifty kinds of fish, including the endangered trispot darter, and eight federally listed mussels. Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, 422 Forever Wild acres, opened in 2024.

Best run

Big Canoe Creek Kayaking, Springville (outfitter shuttle) (3 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02401390

Hazards

No specific hazards are listed. Check the Ashville gauge before you launch.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail

Terrapin Creek

A gentle creek out of the Talladega National Forest with wooded banks and red gravel bars. Outdoor Alabama calls the lower creek an excellent float fishing stream, from County Road 8 to Highway 9 at Ellisville and on to County Road 175.

Gauge

USGS 02400100

Hazards

Below the national forest the bed and banks may be private. Ask the landowner before you cross or wade.

Recommended by

Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR); Alabama Scenic River Trail

Choccolocco Creek

A short, quiet Class I (II) float near the Talladega Superspeedway, with small feeder creeks to poke into and no houses along the way. In Oxford, Choccolocco Kayak rents boats with transport for a 1.5 to 2 hour float.

Best run

Jackson Trace Road to Highway 77 (2.5 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02404400, USGS 02403310

Hazards

Mostly Class I, with some Class II. Check the Jackson Shoal gauge before you go.

Recommended by

American Whitewater; Alabama Scenic River Trail

Weogufka Creek

A Class I to II Coosa County creek with an average drop of 15 feet per mile. American Whitewater lists it from the low water bridge to the ford.

Best run

Low Water Bridge to Ford (11.1 mi)

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

No active USGS gauge on this creek. Judge the level on site before you commit.

Recommended by

American Whitewater

Chattahoochee River

The river line between Alabama and Georgia. The Alabama Scenic River Trail runs a 6 mile day from just below West Point Dam down to Valley, with loons in winter and bald eagles and osprey overhead.

Best run

Hardley Creek Park to Valley Lake Park (6 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02339500

Hazards

The put-in sits just below West Point Dam. Check the West Point gauge before you launch.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail

Little Cahaba River

A Bibb County tributary of the Cahaba with easy shoals, a few 1 ft drops and two islands. The dolomite glades on its hillsides hold at least 61 rare plant species. It joins the Cahaba above Pratt's Ferry.

Best run

Bibb County Glades Preserve to Pratt's Ferry (7.2 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02423800

Hazards

Long shallows below Six Mile Creek are hard to paddle in summer. The banks are private. Email The Nature Conservancy before using its gates.

Recommended by

Cahaba Blueway Initiative; Alabama Scenic River Trail

Lower Cahaba River

Below the Fall Line at Centreville the Cahaba turns into a Coastal Plain river, with wide bends, big sand and gravel bars, baldcypress and chalk bluffs. It is remote. The Blueway ends at Old Cahawba, the site of Alabama's first state capitol.

Best run

Elam Holley, Sr. Park to Old Cahawba (Clear Creek) (6.3 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02424000, USGS 02424590, USGS 02425000

Hazards

Remote water. The bars and banks are private. Metal debris lies just below the Radford landing. Do not float it high.

Recommended by

Cahaba Blueway Initiative; Alabama Scenic River Trail

North River (Lake Tuscaloosa)

A 45-mile river north of Tuscaloosa. Its lower end became Lake Tuscaloosa in 1969, the drinking water for Tuscaloosa and Northport. The Alabama Scenic River Trail suggests an easy flatwater paddle on the lake for families and beginners.

Best run

Sharpes Landing to Rock Quarry Boat Landing (2.35 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02464000

Hazards

Motorboats use Lake Tuscaloosa. Much of the land along the river is private.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail

Black Warrior River

Below Tuscaloosa the Black Warrior leaves the rocky uplands for the Coastal Plain, running through bottomland forest, cypress and tupelo swamp, and chalk bluffs between Eutaw and Demopolis, where it meets the Tombigbee. It is a big river, locked and dammed.

Gauge

USGS 02465000, USGS 02466031

Hazards

Commercial barge traffic and locks and dams on the main river. Motorboats are common on its lakes.

Recommended by

Black Warrior Riverkeeper; Alabama Scenic River Trail

Sipsey River (West Alabama)

One of the last wild, free-flowing swamp rivers in Alabama, 92 miles through four west Alabama counties with about 50,000 acres of bottomland swamp, cypress and tupelo. The state points canoeists to its secluded backwaters. Not the Sipsey Fork.

Gauge

USGS 02446500

Hazards

Remote swamp with limited, unpaved access. Cotton Bridge Landing and Vienna Landing are the public landings.

Recommended by

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust

Tombigbee River

From Aliceville Lake to Coffeeville Lake the Tombigbee is a chain of lakes on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, joined by the Black Warrior at Demopolis. The Alabama Scenic River Trail points paddlers to Rattlesnake Bend, a flat oxbow loop free of barges.

Best run

Rattlesnake Bend loop from Forkland Park (12 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02467000

Hazards

Barge traffic on the main channel. The lower river carries a fish consumption advisory.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Conecuh River

A 230-mile coastal river that rises near Union Springs, runs through the Conecuh National Forest and becomes the Escambia in Florida. Outdoor Alabama says its shallow water and ramps suit canoes and kayaks. Below Point A it runs free.

Gauge

USGS 02371500, USGS 02372430, USGS 02374250

Hazards

Two dams and their lakes, Gantt and Point A, north of Andalusia. Rocky shoals between McGowin Bridge on US 29 and Mancil Rock ramp.

Recommended by

Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama); Alabama Scenic River Trail

Patsaliga Creek

A sandy coastal creek from Crenshaw County down to Point A Reservoir on the Conecuh. It was declared navigable in 1844, so the streambed is public. Outdoor Alabama suggests a day float from Hayslette Bridge to the county ramp off Lindsey Loop Road.

Gauge

USGS 02372250

Hazards

Downed trees can frequently block the creek. The bank at Hayslette Bridge is steep.

Recommended by

Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama); Alabama Scenic River Trail

Sepulga River

A small, clean river that runs more like a creek, with deep sandstone banks and a watershed almost all forest. The Sepulga River Canoe Trail runs 29 miles from Travis Bridge down to Brooklyn, with Class I rapids and sandbars. Best in spring and summer.

Best run

Bull Slough Bridge to Bottle Creek Ramp (7.5 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02373000

Hazards

Class I rapids. Staples Bridge to Iron Bridge is 13.4 miles and only for the adventuresome. Staples Bridge access can be shallow.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Alabama Birding Trails (Piney Woods Birding Trail); Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama)

Pea River

A classic coastal river with old hardwoods and deep sandstone banks, running down through Elba to meet the Choctawhatchee at Geneva. The Alabama Scenic River Trail features the Weeks Bridge to Elba run.

Best run

Weeks Bridge to Elba Boat Landing (9.4 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02364000, USGS 02363000, USGS 02364500

Hazards

Downed trees to carry around, worst north of US 231. Shallow, silted stretches. Rocky tailrace below the Elba dam; flow can change quickly.

Recommended by

Alabama Scenic River Trail; Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper; Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama)

Choctawhatchee River

One of Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders, with no major dams, rich in mussels and a spawning river for Gulf sturgeon. It runs from Barbour County past Newton and Geneva into Florida. The Riverkeeper and the Scenic River Trail have mapped it for mile markers.

Gauge

USGS 02361000, USGS 02361500, USGS 02362000

Hazards

Some rapids and a drop on the upper river. Strainers are a recurring problem in the basin.

Recommended by

Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper; Alabama Scenic River Trail; Alabama DCNR (Outdoor Alabama)

Escatawpa River

Clear blackwater and white sand on the Mississippi line. Mobile County's Escatawpa Hollow Park near Wilmer lets you launch a canoe or kayak off its river beach and sandbar, and the Alabama Scenic River Trail lists Escatawpa Hollow as an outfitter.

Gauge

USGS 02479500

Hazards

The county may suspend beach and sandbar access in high or fast water. Check the Wilmer gauge first.

Recommended by

Mobile County Parks and Recreation; Alabama Scenic River Trail

Styx River

A small Baldwin County stream that ADCNR says is known locally for float trips, best in a kayak or canoe. It is navigable 26 miles, from near Steelwood to the Perdido near Seminole, with canoe launches at the County Road 87 and US 90 bridges.

Best run

Near Steelwood to the Perdido near Seminole (26 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02377560, USGS 02377570, USGS 02377750

Hazards

Access is limited to a few bridge crossings. Expect recreational traffic.

Recommended by

ADCNR Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (Outdoor Alabama); Alabama Scenic River Trail

Perdido River

Blackwater on the Alabama and Florida line, tea-colored over white sand. State Lands runs a 19-mile canoe trail with three landings and six reservable shelters. ADCNR calls it the highest quality free-flowing blackwater river in the southern Coastal Plain.

Best run

Staple Fork Landing to Blue Lake Landing (10 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02376500

Hazards

Logjams below Gravel Landing and at the Barrineau Park bridge, with about a 50-yard portage on the Florida bank. Levels follow local rain.

Recommended by

Alabama State Lands Division, ADCNR (Perdido River Canoe Trail); Alabama Scenic River Trail; ADCNR Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (Outdoor Alabama)

Weeks Bay and Fish River

A small tidal river draining into Weeks Bay, home of the NOAA estuary reserve ADCNR manages. The tide moves it 1 to 1.5 feet on an average day. About nine miles are navigable, with ramps below the US 98 bridge and off Honey Road near Marlow.

Best run

Honey Road ramp near Marlow to the ramp below US 98 (about 5 mi)

Gauge

USGS 02378500, USGS 0237854520

Hazards

Tides of 1 to 1.5 feet a day.

Recommended by

ADCNR Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (Outdoor Alabama); Forever Wild Land Trust, ADCNR State Lands; Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (ADCNR / NOAA)

Dog River

Mobile's urban river, with a scenic blueway kept by Dog River Clearwater Revival. Launches include Dog River Park, Halls Mill Landing at Schwartz Park, Robinson Bayou at Gulfdale and Perch Creek at McNally Park.

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

Mobile Baykeeper finds Halls Mill Creek meets water quality standards under 60 percent of the time. No USGS gauge.

Recommended by

Dog River Clearwater Revival; Mobile Baykeeper (Swim Guide)

Little Lagoon (Bon Secour NWR)

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge launches canoes and kayaks off the Jeff Friend Trail into Little Lagoon, about 10 miles of calm open water on the Back Bay Blueway. Gator Lake is open to paddlers who carry their boats down a refuge trail.

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

Refuge trails and launches are open sunrise to sunset only. Alligators live along the Back Bay Blueway. No USGS gauge on the lagoon. Times may change. Check the official site for current times.

Recommended by

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge; Coastal Alabama Back Bay Blueway (Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant article)

Orange Beach Canoe Trail (Wolf Bay)

Back bays behind Orange Beach. The city posts 12 canoe trail launch sites along Wolf Bay, Bay La Launch, Arnica Bay, Bayou St. John and Cotton Bayou, part of the Coastal Alabama Back Bay Blueway. Sites are open in daylight only.

Gauge

None published. Look at the water before you launch.

Hazards

Stay on the trail and off private banks. File a trip plan naming your put-in and take-out. PFD for everyone.

Recommended by

City of Orange Beach (Coastal Resources); Coastal Alabama Back Bay Blueway (Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant article)