A creek is a small stream of fresh water, narrower and shallower than a river. You can often jump across a creek or wade through it without the water reaching much higher than your knees. Creeks flow naturally through forests, fields, and neighborhoods, fed by rainfall, melting snow, or underground springs.

Many creeks start in hills or mountains and flow downward, eventually joining larger streams or rivers. After heavy rain, a usually calm creek can swell and rush quickly, carrying leaves and small branches along with it. In dry seasons, some creeks slow to a trickle or even disappear temporarily until the next storm.

Kids often explore creeks, looking for minnows, tadpoles, and crayfish in the clear water. You might spot animal tracks in the mud along a creek's banks, since deer, raccoons, and other wildlife visit them to drink.

The phrase up the creek without a paddle means being in trouble with no easy way out, like a person stuck in a canoe with no way to steer.