Hatchet Creek
Moderate whitewater shoals for canoeing and kayaking. Home to the Cahaba lily bloom and the annual Hatchet Creek Festival. One of Coosa County's most scenic waterways.
Goodwater, Alabama
Where the Water Is Good
Tucked in Coosa County and surrounded by some of Alabama's most beautiful natural landscapes, Goodwater is a place worth slowing down for.
Hymenocallis coronaria — the Cahaba lily, blooming in Hatchet Creek each spring
Hatchet Creek
Alabama's Rarest Bloom
Each spring, something extraordinary happens in the shoals of Hatchet Creek, right here in Goodwater. The Cahaba lily blooms.
Hymenocallis coronaria — the spider lily of the South — is a striking white flower that grows only in fast-moving, rocky creek shoals. It is found in just a handful of river systems across the entire state of Alabama: the Black Warrior, the Cahaba, the Coosa, the Tallapoosa, and the Chattahoochee.
Hatchet Creek is one of those rare places. Every spring the shoals come alive with clusters of white blooms rising from the water — a sight that stops you in your tracks.
Peak bloom season: Late April through June
Timing varies with water temperature and flow
Timing varies with water temperature and flow
Annual Event
The Hatchet Creek Festival
Every year the Coosa County Association of Scenic Waterways organizes a community paddling float down Hatchet Creek — timed to catch the Cahaba lily bloom at its peak.
The festival has grown every year. Paddlers of all experience levels float through the shoals as the lilies bloom around them — a tradition that's become one of the signature events of the Coosa County calendar.
Canoe & kayak float
Cahaba lily viewing
Held each spring
All experience levels welcome
Watch this page for dates each year — or follow City news for festival announcements.
See City News & AnnouncementsGet Outside
Nature at Your Doorstep
Goodwater sits at the center of some of Alabama's finest outdoor recreation.
Lake Martin
Just 10 miles from Goodwater, Lake Martin is one of Alabama's most beloved lakes — 40,000 acres of clear water perfect for boating, fishing, and swimming.
Talladega National Forest
Minutes from Goodwater, the Talladega National Forest offers hiking, mountain biking, camping, and wildlife viewing across nearly 400,000 acres of Alabama wilderness.
Hatchett Creek Golf Course
A public 9-hole course right here in Goodwater — a relaxed round of golf in a classic small-town setting.