Bear Run

This article is about a river in Pennsylvania. For the events in gay culture, see Bear (gay culture).

Bear Run is a 5.0-mile-long (8.0 km)^[6] tributary of the Youghiogheny River in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Bear Run Tributary to Youghiogheny River
Bear Run beneath Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater
Location of Bear Run mouth Show map of Pennsylvania Bear Run (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Fayette
Physical characteristics
Source	Fulton Run divide
• location	about 3 miles northeast of Kaufmann, Pennsylvania[1]
• coordinates	39°55′12″N 79°25′02″W[2]
• elevation	2,370 ft (720 m)[1]
Mouth	Youghiogheny River
• location	about 0.25 miles west of Kaufmann, Pennsylvania[3]
• coordinates	39°54′11″N 79°29′28″W[2]
• elevation	1,000 ft (300 m)[3]
Length	4.56 mi (7.34 km)[4]
Basin size	6.44 square miles (16.7 km2)[5]
Discharge
• location	Youghiogheny River
• average	12.94 cu ft/s (0.366 m3/s) at mouth with Youghiogheny River[5]
Basin features
Progression	southwest and west[4]
River system	Monongahela River
Tributaries
• left	unnamed tributaries
• right	unnamed tributaries
Bridges	PA 381

Bear Run is in the Appalachian Mountains and part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The Fallingwater house, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is located on this stream at the locality known as Mill Run.^[7]

Bear Run is inside the Bear Run Nature Reserve, protected by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.^[8] Bear Run is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.^[9] The nearest incorporated town is Ohiopyle, once a resort town for affluent Pittsburghers reaching the Ferncliff peninsula via rail. Ohiopyle today is the focal point of tourism in the Laurel Highlands, drawing many of the same visitors as Fallingwater, located a few miles away on PA State Route 381.^[10][11]

Course

Bear Run rises about 3 miles northeast of Kaufmann, Pennsylvania,^[1] and then flows southwest and west to join the Youghiogheny River about 0.25 miles west of Kaufmann.^[3]

Watershed

Bear Run drains 6.47 square miles (16.8 km²) of area, receives about 48.1 in/year of precipitation, has a wetness index of 357.26, and is about 89% forested.^[5]

Natural history

Bear Run is the location of Bear Run Watershed BDA. The large forested area of Bear Run, an exceptional value stream, provides habitat for three plant species of special concern.^[12]

See also

• List of rivers of Pennsylvania