Bear Creek (California)

There are at least seven streams named Bear Creek in California.

Colusa County

Bear Creek in Colusa County joins Cache Creek just a few miles upstream from the town of Rumsey. The upstream section of Bear Creek cuts through Bear Valley, which provides one of the most spectacular spring wildflower displays in California (geographic coordinates N 39.16308 W 122.43988). Farther downstream the Bear Creek whitewater section is suitable for kayaking (N 39.04029 W 122.40812).

Fresno County

Bear Creek in Fresno County joins the south fork of the San Joaquin River between Florence Lake and Edison Lake at about convert|7500|ft|m|-1 elevation in the Kaiser Wilderness.

From Fresno one would travel up State Route 168 past Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake to the Kaiser Pass, and park at the Bear Creek diversion dam. The Bear Creek trail joins the Pacific Crest Trail in convert|5.5|mi|km|1 at about convert|9000|ft|m|-2 elevation. Wilderness permits may be obtained at the Kaiser Pass ranger station.

The Hilgard branch of Bear Creek originates under Bear Creek Spire convert|14|mi|km|0 above the diversion dam at convert|12000|ft|m|-2. The trail leaves the Pacific Crest Trail convert|8|mi|km|0 from the diversion dam. The creek flows under Mt Hilgard by Lake Italy just north of Italy Pass on the shoulder of Mt Julius Caesar. From Italy Pass one may hike convert|6|mi|km|0 to the Pine Creek trailhead to emerge on U.S. Route 395 just north of Bishop in the eastern Sierras.

The east fork of Bear Creek leaves the Pacific Crest Trail convert|9|mi|km|0 from the diversion dam at upper Bear Creek Meadow. This fork’s origin is convert|13|mi|km|0 above the dam at convert|11500|mi|km|-2 elevation beneath Seven Gables Peak. It starts among the "Bear Lakes" -- Little Bear Lake, Big Bear Lake, Ursa Lake, Black Bear Lake, White Bear Lake, Bear Paw Lake, Den Lake, Claw Lake and Tooth Lake.

The south fork of Bear Creek leaves the Pacific Crest Trail convert|10|mi|km|0 from the dam and proceeds to seven Gables Lakes convert|13|mi|km|0 from the dam at convert|11000|ft|m|-2.

The west fork of Bear Creek follows the Pacific Crest Trail convert|13|mi|km|0 from the dam to its origin at Marie Lake just below Seldon Pass.

Other Bear Creeks in California

*Mariposa County: Starting near Midpines Summit (elevation approx. 3,000 feet), Bear Creek flows alongside Highway 140, then descends very steeply, joining the Merced River at Bagby.

*Merced County: Bear Creek flows west across the San Joaquin Valley and through the heart of the city of Merced.

*Sonoma County contains three creeks with this name:
# Bear Creek (Sonoma Creek) a minor tributary of Sonoma Creek located northeast of the town of Kenwood [gnis|218803|Bear Creek]
# a tributary of McDonnell Creek on the Maacama Creek watershed [gnis|218805|Bear Creek]
# a creek that feeds into Lake Sonoma [gnis|218806|Bear Creek]

References