Paddling near Tuscaloosa, AL

Seat of Tuscaloosa County, this West Alabama city sits astride the Black Warrior River, which runs directly through town and flows 180 miles southwest toward the Tombigbee. A lock-and-dam system keeps the main stem navigable year-round, while free-flowing tributaries — the Sipsey Fork, Locust Fork, and Mulberry Fork — and nearby reservoirs like Lake Tuscaloosa and Holt Reservoir round out a deep paddling menu.