Brier Creek originates in the lower Piedmont region between Warrenton in Warren County and Thomson in McDuffie County, flowing approximately 80 miles southeastward through Georgia's kaolin mining district before joining the Savannah River in eastern Screven County near Sylvania. This blackwater tributary drains a significant portion of east-central Georgia, passing through Burke, Jefferson, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, and Warren counties. The creek's upper reaches traverse active kaolin mining areas, where the landscape transitions from Piedmont to Coastal Plain at the Fall Line. As it flows downstream past communities like Wrens and Waynesboro in Burke County, the creek widens from 30-50 feet to nearly 80 feet near its mouth. The waterway meanders through heavily forested bottomlands, with cypress, river birch, gum, and oak trees draped in Spanish moss creating a canopied environment along much of its course.

Paddling opportunities center on the lower sections, particularly the 5.5-mile Brier Creek Boogie segment from Brannens Bridge to Brier Creek Landing. This route showcases the creek's serpentine character through primeval forest, though paddlers should expect navigational challenges from fallen trees and strainers that frequently obstruct the narrow channel. The creek becomes increasingly braided and maze-like as it approaches the Savannah River, with towering cypress stands creating an atmospheric paddling corridor. Water levels significantly affect navigability, and the creek has historically required clearing efforts to maintain passage for watercraft.

The Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area encompasses the battlefield site of the Revolutionary War's Battle of Brier Creek (March 3, 1779), one of the largest fish kills in state history and a devastating American defeat that prolonged the war in the South. Freeman's Bridge area marks where British forces destroyed the crossing during their retreat, and archaeological surveys have recovered hundreds of artifacts including musket balls from this significant engagement.

Access points include Brannens Bridge (dating to 1966) and Brier Creek Landing in Screven County. Upstream at Millhaven, the creek once powered Francis Paris's 18th-century rock dam and mill complex, the most powerful industrial operation in colonial Georgia. The nearby community of Jacksonboro, former county seat along tributary Beaverdam Creek, disappeared following a legendary curse.

Wildlife includes alligators, various water birds, deer, and abundant fish populations, though the creek has experienced pollution incidents from industrial discharge. The area's wildness and historical significance have generated local legends, including tales of a "Lone Hunter" British soldier who supposedly lived in the swamps following the 1779 battle.

Paddlers should prepare for potential portages around obstructions, bring cutting tools for clearing deadfalls, and time trips with water levels and tides near the Savannah River confluence.