Alabama whitewater - Cahaba River, Jefferson County Jefferson county, Lovick Bridge to Grants Mill section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II     5.9 miles   I recently paddled this part of the Cahaba and had a blast. Although it does have a class II rating I only encountered four areas where the river produced what I would call true rapids. Most of these areas were short two to three foot falls followed by a run produced by the current. And one was just a long series of wide wave trains. I did enjoy the rapids but even a novice paddler with a few trips under their belt could handle this section. The only bad part was the long flats inbetween the rapids. I was lucky in that I timed my trip two days after a heavy     rain so the current was nice and steady. If not for that I would have been exhausted from paddling across the flats. Luckily the scenery is good and there is plenty of wildlife to enjoy. The put in at Lovic bridge is tricky. Its a pretty steep grade and full of mud and sand. I ended up just getting in my canoe and slidding down the hill into the water. Thats a good way to flip so take a friend and you could rope your boat down much easier. The take out at Grants Mill is alot nicer. It has a nice gravel parking lot and a concrete ramp down to the river with a concrete docking pad in the water. You NEED to go look at the take out before you go on your trip though. The take out is nice but its positioned weirdly. You come down river to it after your last rapid and if the water is up or moving along well then you really have to   back paddle to make the docking pad. Also if you miss the pad the current picks up dead even with the pad and will take you on down river before you realize it. Just check the weather and the USGS sites for the water level and better yet go look at it at the put in and the take out to get a better idea if you can. The Cahaba is a great river to paddle it just isnt forgiving if its high or low! Says Big Mick The beautiful scenery of Alabama and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream make the trip here worthwhile. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside Alabama you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so don't forget that the rivers in this state are less manageable. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, good for a one day paddling trip. The Lovick Bridge to Grants Mill section of Cahaba River is 5.9 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class II section. The Lovick Bridge to Grants Mill section is one of a few paddling sections in this river system. A bit of exercise and just being out on the river for a while will have you coming back for more. The put-in location is a short drive from Birmingham-Hoover, as you can see on the road map further down. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. Lodging is available near the river, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. Briefly about the general area: Weems Gap is a tremendous location to visit close by. During the warm days of summer, highs regularly are in the 80's at Cahaba River; the night is a little chillier of course, usually in the 60's. Daytime highs all through the winter are in the 50's while Cahaba River nighttime low temperatures during the winter are in the 30's. Cahaba River is a relatively wet place commonly with much rain; March is the wettest month with most rain; October on the other hand is the driest. Cahaba River, Lovick Bridge to Grants Mill road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: II Length: 5.9 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 33.55419 Longitude: -86.6139 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 33.48519 Longitude: -86.70851 Paddler input for Cahaba River, Alabama: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Cahaba River, Alabama Local climate location: BIRMINGHAM FAA AP 17 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Irondale, Al, Irondale Stay Smart at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Birmingham East-Irondale, where you®ll find comfort and luxury meeting side by side. The Holiday Inn Express is located I-20 at exit 133 by I-45... Quality Inn Irondale, Irondale 2 miles away The quality Inn located in Irondale alabama, a century of southern heritage at the threshold of new horizons nestled in the heart of alabama. Perfectly located as a hometown of 10,000 people and over... Comfort Inn Birmingham, Birmingham 4 miles away Southern hospitality is key to the Comfort Inn Airport. We offer free high speed internet in all rooms and wireless internet in the lobby. We have an airport shuttle that runs at 6:30AM, 7:30AM, 8:30A...   All Alabama Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Alabama. Books about whitewater paddling on Cahaba River, Alabama List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Cahaba River, Alabama. Find a whitewater outfitter in Alabama Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama, the metro area neareast to Cahaba River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Cahaba River.   Whitewater Near Cahaba River: Cahaba River, Jefferson County , 8 miles away, Class I-II - 7 miles long (US Route 11 to County Route 10) Yellowleaf Creek - North Fork, -blank- County , 9 miles away, Class III+ - 1.5 miles long (Ivy Branch to Old Highway 280) Gurley Creek, Blount / Jefferson County , 16 miles away, Class II-III - 3.5 miles long (Narrows Road to State Route 79) Warrior River - Blackburn Fork, Blount County , 22 miles away, Class I-III(V) - 4.5 miles long (Dirt Road off Route 15 to Route 1) Warrior River - Calvert Prong of the Locust Fork, Blount County , 25 miles away, Class II-III - 2.2 miles long (CR 33 to Deavers Town Road) Mill Creek, Blount County , 25 miles away, Class III - 0.5 miles long (Rt. 31 to Dirt Road off CR 5) Chitwood Creek, Blount County , 25 miles away, Class III-IV - 3.2 miles long (CR 1 to CR 33) Warrior River - Locust Fork, Blount County , 27 miles away, Class II-III+ - 7 miles long (US 231/79 to Nectar Bridge) Warrior River - Locust Fork, Blount County , 27 miles away, Class I-III - 10 miles long (CR 1 to US Route 231) Mulberry Fork, Cullman/Blount County , 28 miles away, Class I-II - 10.8 miles long (Old US Route 31 to bridge above I-65)   Hotels Near Cahaba River: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Irondale, Al, Irondale , 1 miles away Quality Inn Irondale, Irondale , 2 miles away Comfort Inn Birmingham, Birmingham , 4 miles away Americas Best Inns-Birmingham, Birmingham , 5 miles away Courtyard Birmingham Trussville, Birmingham , 6 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Cahaba River: Holiday Travel Park, Leeds, 7 miles away City of Hoover RV Park, Hoover, 13 miles away Pelham Koa Kampground, Pelham, 17 miles away   Golf Courses Near Cahaba River: Roebuck Golf Course, Birmingham , 5 miles away   Lakes Near Cahaba River