[3] Bear Creek, with its abundance of trees, became the lumber king of Luzerne County.

[3] Bear Creek was later incorporated as a township; it was carved from territory taken from Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Bucks, Plains, and Jenkins (in 1856).

The dam spans the Lehigh River at its confluence with the tributary Bear Creek.

Although the dam was originally constructed for flood management, its reservoir has since become a popular recreational area for fishing, kayaking, and boating.

Today, the township is made up of several small villages, thick forests, lakes, and streams.

As described by the BBC, the crash occurred in a "wooded area" of the township, near the intersection of Bear Creek Boulevard (PA-Route 115) and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

[7] The Bear Creek Wind Power Project began commercial operation in 2006.

Bear Creek Township is the largest municipality (by total area) in Luzerne County.

The Francis E. Walter Dam and Reservoir is located in the southernmost section of the township (along the Lehigh River).

The township has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures at the Turnpike interchange range from 23.1 °F in January to 69.1 °F in July.