Bear Creek Picnic Area, Milepost 313

Bear Creek is a typical, slow-moving southern creek.

NPS Photo/P. Pinson

Quick Facts

Location:

Milepost 313 on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Alabama.

Significance:

A picnic area on a large creek in the Chickasaw homeland.

Amenities

7 listed

Accessible Sites, Fish-Cleaning Station, Grill, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Picnic Table, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Bear Creek is within what is the homeland of the Chickasaw people. The Cherokee lived nearby to the east. Bear Creek is a large creek that flows from Tishomingo County, Mississippi, northward to the Tennessee River and has likely been used as a travel route for centuries. The creek teems with mussels, fish, and other aquatic species, although the fauna composition has lost diversity in the lower 17 miles of the creek impounded by Pickwick Dam.

Bear Creek Picnic Area is a great place to pull off the main road to sit in the shade and listen to the gentle rhythms of the flowing water. The site is shaded and on the creek. There are seven well spaced tables, four with grills.

If you decide to have a last-minute picnic and find yourself without food, you may find something to satisfy your hunger with an approximately 15-minute drive. Cherokee, Alabama to the north (population 1038) and Tishomingo, Mississippi (population 339) to the south have a few food resources. The picnic area has no restrooms. The closest Parkway facilities are to the north at Colbert Ferry, milepost 327.

After heavy rains, the site is frequently closed due to flooding.