Bear Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)

For the tributary to the Yellow River of the same name, also in Allamakee County, see Bear Creek (Yellow River).

Bear Creek
Bear Creek (the red dot indicates the confluence between the creek and the Upper Iowa River)
Location
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Counties	Winneshiek, Allamakee
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	43.4486°N 91.61556°W / 43.4486; -91.61556
Mouth	Upper Iowa River
• coordinates	43.4266°N 91.5026°W / 43.4266; -91.5026
• elevation	663 ft (202 m)

Bear Creek is an 11.9-mile-long (19.2 km) tributary of the Upper Iowa River, joining Waterloo Creek for a short distance before entering the Upper Iowa in Waterloo Township just east of where Iowa Highway 76 crosses the river. Its branches are acclaimed trout fishing streams.

The main or South fork rises in Hesper and Highland Townships in Winneshiek County, and gives its name to South Bear Complex, maintained by the state of Iowa and flows in a rough west to east direction.

The North Bear Creek rises in Houston County, Minnesota, south of Spring Grove, entering Iowa into Highland Township in Winneshiek County, and joins the main branch just west of the Allamakee County line in a generally north-to-southeast direction; the state-maintained North Bear Complex is named for it.

The stream continues into Allamakee County, joining Waterloo Creek a short distance from where the two creeks merge with the Upper Iowa. The Upper Iowa itself continues towards its heads in a southwesterly direction.

See also

• List of rivers of Iowa

References

• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (retrieved 3 April 2007)
• Map from Iowa DNR (*.pdf) (retrieved 3 April 2007)
• US Fish and Wildlife Service (retrieved 3 April 2007)
• Trout Unlimited press release (retrieved 3 April 2007)