Illinois whitewater - Bear Branch, Pope County Pope county, Bridge to Lusk Creek section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III     4 miles   This section of Bear Branch is 4 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class III section of whitewater. If you've been out of state whitewater rafting and kayaking you might find the rivers here more forgiving, so better not forget that lots of rivers here are good for beginners. If you're coming from Harrisburg it's not a long drive at all to the put-in location, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The campgrounds here at Bear Branch are pretty good. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some     kayaking, either way this is an area with not too many other spots for that. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Getting a good workout and a chance to spend some time outdoors will have you coming back for more. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, suitable for an afternoon trip. The nature scenery of Pope County and the water flowing gracefully down Bear Branch make the trip here worthwhile. Briefly about the general area: Going for a hike along the River to River Trail will let you absorb the natural beauty of this vicinity. Bear Branch sees pretty high levels of rainfall; the month of March is the wettest with most of the rain while January is commonly the driest month. For the duration of the warm   days of summer here at Bear Branch, high temperatures mostly reach the 80's, and the overnight is rather colder of course, generally in the 60's. The wintertime brings highs down to the 30's, and through the dark hours in the winter at Bear Branch temperatures fall to the 10's. Bear Branch, Bridge to Lusk Creek road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: III Length: 4 miles Average Gradient: 80 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.5191 Longitude: -88.57421 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 37.50609 Longitude: -88.53631 Paddler input for Bear Branch, Illinois: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Bear Branch, Illinois Local climate location: MARION 3 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Economy Inn and Suites Harrisburg, Harrisburg 12 miles away The Economy Inn & Suites, a Magnuson Hotels affiliate, is a hotel located in Harrisburg IL, near the gateway to the Shawnee National Forest. This newly renovated and centrally located hotel offers all... Comfort Inn Harrisburg, Harrisburg 13 miles away Free deluxe continental breakfast serving boiled eggs, donuts, waffles, bagels, breads, oatmeal, juice, coffee and tea. Indoor heated pool. King rooms with large desk, 27 inch television with cable ch... Super 8 Motel - Harrisburg, Harrisburg 13 miles away The award winning Pride of Super 8 Harrisburg is conveniently located off Interstate 45, just seven miles from Southeastern Illinois College. This Harrisburg motel is close to a variety of area attrac...   All Illinois Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Illinois. Books about whitewater paddling on Bear Branch, Illinois List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Bear Branch, Illinois. Find a whitewater outfitter in Illinois Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Harrisburg, Illinois Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Harrisburg, Illinois, the metro area neareast to Bear Branch. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Bear Branch.   Whitewater Near Bear Branch: Lusk Creek, Pope County County , 1 miles away, Class I-III - 4.5 miles long (Lusk Creek Canyon)   Ski Areas Near Bear Branch: Paoli Peaks, Indiana , 152 miles away, 300 vertical feet Hidden Valley, Missouri , 155 miles away, 250 vertical feet   Hotels Near Bear Branch: Economy Inn and Suites Harrisburg, Harrisburg , 12 miles away Comfort Inn Harrisburg, Harrisburg , 13 miles away Super 8 Motel - Harrisburg, Harrisburg , 13 miles away Comfort Inn Metropolis, Metropolis , 22 miles away Super 8 Motel - Metropolis, Metropolis , 22 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Bear Branch: Bear Branch Campground, Eddyville, 2 miles away Teal Pond Campground, Pope County, 6 miles away Redbud Campground, Pope County, 7 miles away   Trails Near Bear Branch: River to River Trail, Pope County , 1 miles away River to River Trail, Pope County , 9 miles away River to River Trail, Saline County , 13 miles away River to River Trail, Saline County , 13 miles away   Lakes Near Bear Branch