Summary
Upper Bear Creek is one of four dams—the others are Bear Creek, Little Bear Creek, and Cedar Creek—that provide flood control, recreation, and water supply in northwest Alabama. Upper Bear Dam is located in Marion County, and the reservoir is in three counties: Marion, Franklin, and Winston.

The Bear Creek area is popular with all types of boaters, including canoeists and kayakers. The Bear Creek Floatway, which flows from Upper Bear Creek Dam into Bear Creek Reservoir, is a popular spot for teaching first-timers to negotiate rapids and work with the current.

Below Bear Creek Dam the Lower Bear Creek Canoe Trail provides a more leisurely float, running a total of 34 miles down the creek and all the way to Pickwick Landing Dam on the Tennessee.

The scenic area is also used by fishermen, picnickers, birdwatchers, and sightseers.