Big Escambia Creek in Alabama

Trip Overview

Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve to Flomaton, AL

My wife and I started out on the float at about 9 am. You start at Magnolia Wildlife Reserve in Atmore, AL. It cost $5 per person and $5 to use the ramp which is at the entrance and park vehicles there. The actual tube float through Magnolia is nice and can be a short two or three hour float by tube but will only take an hour by canoe or Yak.

We decided to take the trip farther and keep on going to Flomaton, AL. Very nice water through the branch but with the local drought going on the water is very low as of right now. For the first half of the trip you actually have to get out walk the canoes through the shallow parts, which was 4-5 times I would think.

After the first three hours of the long float there are very nice sandbars/rockbars to reach and everything is really nice and clean which there seems to be sandbars/rockbars around each turn. Not many rapids and mostly flat flowing water.

Only one place I noticed I had to take canoe out of water to get around tree. After the first three hours the creek really opens and and is really nice and I mean nice enough to where you really dont have to paddle. Pleanty of Bars to pull up on and eat lunch or snacks.

The total trip from Magnolia Branch to Flomaton took 7 hours. The trip ends off of HYW 31 in Flomaton AL at the Bridge next to Church's Chicken. 2 vehicles need to be taken becuase a return vehicle will be needed to return to the Reserve if the 7 hour trip will be taken. If only floating the Wildlife Reserve they will shuttle for free.

Overall I would rate this an easy float and would rank it a 7 out of 10 on nice and clean peaceful float. Plenty of places to camp overnight with tents and wood to make a camp fire. 7 hour float straight through with one stop for lunch.

Accommodations:

Magnolia Branch:

• 72 Campsites with water and electricity (Must furnish own water pressure regulator)
• 39 Campsites with Full Hook-Up
• Primitive Campsites
• Dump Station
• 2 Bathhouses with Hot Showers
• Laundry Room
• 3 Group Pavilions with Tables
• Fishing (Creek or 50 Lakes)
• Hiking Trails
• Horseback Riding Trails
• 10 Horse Stables
• Volleyball Court
• Horseshoe Pit
• Tubing and Swimming in Creek (At Own Risk - No Lifeguards on Duty!)
• 50/30/20 AMP Service
• Playground Available for Children

Fees:

• All RV / Travel Trailers (Daily) $30.00 (full hook-up) / $25.00 (water / electric)
• All RV / Travel Trailers (Weekly) $180.00 (full hook-up) / $150.00 (water / electric)
• All RV / Travel Trailers (Monthly) $500.00 (full hook-up) / $400 (water / electric)
• Tents - Primitive Camping (No Hook-Ups) $10.00 / Daily plus $1 per person
• Improved Primitive Camping (Water / Electric) $20.00 / Daily (up to 6 people)
• Picnic Pavilions (Reservations Necessary - must be paid prior to day of use) Daily $30.00
• Swimming / Picnicking / Fishing (Daily) $5.00 per person (age 13+), $1.00 per person (age 12 and under) to enter premises
• Tube Use $5.00 fee
• Landing Use $5.00 fee
• Horseback Riding (Daily) $5.00 per trailer plus $1.00 per horse
• Horse Stalls $5.00 per day
• Kayak $15.00 per kayak (Also $10.00 deposit on equipment such as lifejackets and paddles, deposit returned when equipment is returned)
• Canoe $25.00 per canoe (Also $10.00 deposit on equipment such as lifejackets and paddles, deposit returned when equipment is returned)

Directions:

Start:

Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve

24 Big Creek Road

Atmore, AL 36502

Phone: (251) 446-3423

From Atmore, AL - Travel North on S.R. 21 about 4 miles to C.R. 12 on Right. Travel 5 miles and intersect with C.R. 27. (Telephone Annex Building) Turn Left. Go 4.6 miles to Magnolia Branch on Right.

From Flomaton, AL - Turn left onto S.R. 113 North toward Interstate 65. Travel 4 miles from light to C.R. 27 - Turn Left on 27, travel 8.7 Miles to Magnolia Branch on Left.

If traveling South on Interstate 65 - Take Exit 69 and turn left onto S.R. 113. Travel .1 mile, turn Right on C.R. 17. Travel 4.8 miles and turn right onto C.R. 27. Go 2.2 miles to Magnolia Branch Entrance on Left.

If traveling North on Interstate 65 - Take Exit 57 onto S.R. 21, go North about 4 miles. Turn Right on Ross Gate Road. Go 3 miles, turn Right on C.R. 45 (Butler Street). Go 3.5 miles and dead end on C.R. 27. Turn Left. Go .1 miles to Magnolia Branch.

End:
Hwy 31 Bridge Flomaton Alabama
21550 U.S. 31
Flomaton, AL 36441