OCTOBER 1, SATURDAY,
Please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings
River Beach Walk, Woodland Hike, and Picnic at Barton’s Beach and Perry Lakes
Park in Perry County, Alabama
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Details: Enjoy a beach gathering on a
beautiful, fine-grained sand beach in Central Alabama and a hike in the heavily
wooded Perry Lakes Park. The scenery is
spectacular. The area is an extensive
sand beach on the Lower Cahaba River.
The floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood
forests, oxbow lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars. The National Weather
Service forecast in Marion for this coming Saturday is sunny all day with a
high temperature of 78 degrees—perfect hiking weather.
Sixteen people participated in this popular outing with us
in August, 2019.
A restroom is available at Perry
Lakes County Park where we’ll park our cars.
The approximate 1/3 mile hike to Barton’s Beach is easy since the
terrain is level and the walk is all on trails.
Since the water is now
too cool to swim in, we will hike to and along the beach from the upper end of
the beach to the lower end and back without actually getting in the water. Then we will take you on an extended hike in
Perry Lakes Park. The hike will be
longer than it would be when we would spend most of the day at the beach and in
the river if the water was warmer.
The Perry Lakes Park and Wildlife
Sanctuary contains about 600 acres available to the public for outdoor
recreation, education, scientific research, and other activities. Interpretive
nature trails (fire lanes and primitive paths) make walking through the woods
fairly easy and fun.
Several trees in the park have been
designated as Alabama State Champion Trees. The park lakes support a large heron
rookery along with an abundance of songbirds.
A 100-foot tall observation tower allows for an exciting view of the
forest and oxbow swamps.
Hikes at Barton’s Beach and Perry
Lakes Park are moderate since the terrain is level and the walks are all on
trails. The two properties adjoin each
other so we can walk readily back and forth between them. We strongly recommend that you wear long
pants as there are blackberry plants on some sections of the hike.
If the tower is open, we may also
offer an optional opportunity to climb on stairs to the top of the Perry
Lakes Park viewing tower, a rebuilt fire tower with gorgeous views high above
most of the tallest treetops in the area.
Well-behaved,
carefully-supervised children age 7 and older welcome.
Depending on the time we leave the
park, we will probably go for an optional dinner on the way back after the
outing is concluded.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the
McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart
from there at 10:00 a.m.
Info. on the hike and hike leader: Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net
OCTOBER 8, SATURDAY, Please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern
Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Chattooga River near Gaylesville, Alabama
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Details: This will be
Southeastern Outings’ first group trip on the Chattooga River. Seven
Southeastern Outings members kayaked and canoed this stretch of river on an
initial scouting trip September 23.
Everyone who participated agreed that this part of the river is easy to
negotiate and highly suitable for boaters of varying abilities to paddle. The service provided by the outfitter was
outstanding.
This
is a scenic stretch of river located in a very rural area. This stretch
is fairly easy and without classified rapids. Along the river we’ll see
wildflowers and stop to investigate islands and beaches.
Please
note that for this trip you may rent plastic kayaks and paddles from Tooga
Yaks.
Here
is the schedule of outfitter charges:
1.
solo sit-upon kayaks each $30
2.
shuttle fee per boat for owned rather than rented boats $10
Please
note that the outfitter has for rent about 70 one-person sit-upon kayaks.
The outfitter takes most all types of payment including cash,
credit/debit cards, Venmo, cash app and checks.
Rental fees include paddles, life jackets and
shuttle service. Also the outfitter will shuttle for a fee all private
boats used on this outing. If you rent a boat from this outfitter, the
outfitter will shuttle you and your rented boat from the outfitter’s office to
the put in so you will never need to transport your rented boat at all.
You may bring your own canoe or kayak on this trip, but you must pay the
outfitter to shuttle your privately-owned boat.
When
we arrive at the outfitter’s, you will sign a waiver, pay your shuttle or boat
rental fee, and use the restrooms. Then the outfitter will transport all
our people and our boats, both rented and owned, to the put in. We will
then paddle down the river to the take out, stopping as often as we want
to. We will take out at the outfitter’s place where our cars are.
We plan to go for an optional dinner on the way
back o Birmingham. Our outfitter has
recommended a good place near his office, 10-15 minutes away, in Cedar Bluff.
It’s called Smorgasbord at the Cove. It’s located on Weiss Lake and serves a
variety of food such as steak, pasta, shrimp, southern cuisine, and homemade
desserts.
If you would like to wear dry clothes for the
drive home or in order to go to dinner with us, please bring a change of
clothes to be kept in the car. You may change clothes in the
outfitter’s exceptionally clean, spacious restrooms complete with toilets, washbowls,
running water, showers, and plenty of floor space.
Reservations Required: You must contact Dan
Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call
205/631-4680 if you plan to come on this kayak and canoe scouting trip.
You may leave a message on Dan’s voice mail if you wish.
Please
do not just show up for this outing at the meeting place without making advance
reservations!
Please
meet 9:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s in Trussville. We plan to depart from
there at 10:00 a.m. For more essential information about this trip,
please see Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips below.
Information: If you have questions
or would like additional information about this scouting trip, please call Dan
Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email seoutings@bellsouth.net.
Note for Kayak and Canoe
Trips
Life
jackets or personal flotation devices are required and must be worn.
Bring your own boat, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent a kayak from the
outfitter listed above.
OCTOBER 9, SUNDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.
Southeastern Outings Second Sunday
Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park
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Details: Enjoy a moderate 4 to 5-mile walk in
the woodlands near Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon. This is an excellent outing for introducing your friends to
Southeastern Outings and for making new friends who enjoy the outdoors. Parts of this hike may be off the color-coded
trails. There will be some ups and
downs.
Well-behaved, properly supervised
children age eight and up able to walk the distance of about 4 miles without
complaining and complete the hike are welcome.
Share an adventure! Bring a friend.
Please meet at 1:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park
office parking lot. We plan to depart
from there at 2:00 p.m.
Please bring $5/person ($2.00
seniors) park admission fee plus your drink.
Info. and Trip Leader:
Randall Adkins,
205/317-6969
OCTOBER 11, TUESDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.
Weekday Hike
Where: Moss Rock Preserve
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Details: Explore a section of this 350-acre
forested park in Hoover on a moderately strenuous 2-3 hour hike with some
climbing up and walking down hills on Shades Mountain. We’ll experience the preserve’s diverse
natural features which include longleaf pine forests, huge boulders, grassy
areas, outstanding views and several beautiful streams and waterfalls which
hopefully will be running bountifully when we are there. We recommend that you bring hiking poles
with you on this hike if you have them.
Please bring
water to drink.
Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Moss Rock Preserve Parking
Lot on Patton Chapel Road. We plan to depart from there promptly at 9:00
a.m.
Below is a link to the website for
Moss Rock Preserve, where you can print a map of the trails in Moss Rock
Preserve for use on this hike or on future hikes there on your own,
http://www.hooveral.org/219/Hiking-Map-Trail-Guide
Information and Trip
Leader: Scott Myers, 205/393-5230, email myers.scottv@gmail.com
OCTOBER 13, THURSDAY, 9:45 a.m.
Moderate Weekday Hike
Where: Pinhoti Trail from Bulls Gap
to White Gap near Sylacauga
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Details: We'll proceed about an hour’s drive
from our meeting place in Shelby County to the Bull's Gap trailhead at the
southern part of Section 4 on the Pinhoti Trail where the trail crosses AL
Highway 148. A great view at the trailhead portends other scenic wonders
to follow.
We'll be starting our hike at the
same point where we started our weekday hike on October 22, 2021, but then in
order to see new territory we’ll hike in the opposite direction on the Pinhoti
Trail. The hike will be two miles each way up and over the High Point Rock
Overlook which is a bunch of rocks with a nice view to the west.
Then we’ll hike down to White Gap
heading south and west on Section Three of the Pinhoti Trail. The total
hike is along the ridge top with nice views the entire way. Estimated
total hike distance is four miles. Hike rated moderate.
Optional dinner
after the hike is concluded.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the Publix
Super Market in Lee Branch. We plan to depart from there at 10:00
a.m. We should arrive at the trailhead about 11:15 a.m. Lunch will
about 1:00 p.m. at the High Point Rock Overlook. We’ll then hike further
on to White Gap and then at about 2:00 p.m. we’ll begin our hike back to the
start point at Bulls Gap. Those hikers not staying for dinner can expect
to arrive back at the Publix at Lee Branch about 5:00 p.m.
Reservations Required: Please email Francis Rushton,
ferushton@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Information and Trip Leader: Francis E. Rushton,
Telephones 843-441-3368 Cell, 205-290-5557 Home
OCTOBER 15, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Dayhike: Cahaba River Park in Western Shelby County north of
Montevallo
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Details: The Cahaba River is among the most scenic and
biologically diverse waterways in the United States, and the public now has
access to a portion of the river in Shelby County. Work is underway on
the Cahaba River Park, a 1,500-acre site near the Bibb County line in western
Shelby County. Please come with us for our fifth, moderately easy 3 to 5
mile-long hike in this newly created park.
Cahaba
River Park includes two sectors: a larger sector on the north side of the river
and a sector on the south side of the river that allows for motorized access.
The river splits the park into two sites with different amenities. The
north side, which is called the Helena/Hoover Sector, includes most of the
park’s acreage. The sector comprises 1,212 acres of Forever Wild property and
127 acres of county property. The south side of the river, which is called the
Boothton/Montevallo Sector, comprises 188 acres of Shelby County property.
Cahaba River Park is a Shelby County venture that is being developed in
conjunction with Forever Wild Land Trust, an initiative of the Alabama
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Improvements to Shelby County 251, or River Road on the north side of the
Cahaba River, are now complete. The Park offers about 15 miles of
professionally designed and constructed trails for mountain biking, hiking and
trail running; multiple parking locations at trailheads; several canoe launch
sites that will allow for short trips or runs as long as 7 miles; 2 sets of
pavilions and restroom facilities; and a caretaker’s house for a law
enforcement officer.
Our hike in the Helena/Hoover Sector
on October 15 may include walking on several trails. The park’s trails offer a nice blend of forest, river and creek
views including a good view of the area’s elevation.
Please bring your picnic lunch and water with you on the
hike. Well-behaved, carefully supervised
children age 7 and older able to walk up to five miles without complaining are
welcome to participate in this trip.
Please meet at 8:45 a.m. in the parking lot behind the McDonald’s
on U.S. Highway 31 at the Riverchase Galleria. We plan to depart from
there at 9:00 a.m.
Admission
to the park is free.
Information and Trip Leader: Tim Vann, telephone 205-515-8566, email tvann25@hotmail.com
OCTOBER 16, SUNDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.
Southeastern Outings
Moderate Dayhike Along Buck Creek in Helena, AL
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Details: Come explore the wilder side of
Helena. Hike with SEO on a lovely
creekside trail in Helena in Shelby County.
Total hiking distance is less than four miles. Hike rated moderately easy.
We will be walking briefly off trail and walking up some hills when the
trail routes us away from the creek.
Well-behaved, properly supervised children age eight and up
welcome.
Please meet at 1:45 p.m. in the parking lot for the Helena
City Park on AL Highway 261 by the bridge over Buck Creek in Helena. We plan to depart from there at 2:00 p.m.
Directions to Meeting Place: Take I-65 to Exit #247, the Shelby
County Route 17, Valleydale Road exit.
Go to end of ramp and turn right regardless of whether you come from the
south or the north. Take Co. 17, which
changes from Co. Route 17 to AL 261, all the way into Helena. You will cross one railroad and then drive
over a bridge with a dam and waterfall on the left. Immediately past the bridge, turn sharply back to the right just before you cross a second railroad and then drive into the
parking lot for a city park right on the shore of the creek. Distances on Valleydale Road, (Shelby County
Route 17) and then Alabama Route 261 from I-65 exit number 247 to driveway into
Helena Park parking lot are 5.5 miles from bottom end of southbound ramp and
5.9 miles from bottom end of northbound ramp.
Information and Trip
Leader: Dan
Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680
OCTOBER 22, SATURDAY,
Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings
Dayhike
Where: Chief Ladiga Trail, Piedmont,
Alabama
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Details: Join friendly folks on an easy
3.5-mile dayhike and picnic on the Chief Ladiga Trail east of Piedmont,
Alabama. Walk on Alabama’s first
extended rails-to-trails conversion route on an old railroad right of way. This smooth trail is wide and level. Absolutely no hills—guaranteed! On this particular hike you will be walking
on the most scenic section of the trail.
This newly-paved part goes through mostly wooded terrain.
No motorized vehicles are allowed on
your trail! Note this is a relatively
easy outing, one which should be lots of fun for everyone. Well-behaved, carefully supervised children
age eight and up able to walk seven miles without complaining are welcome on
this walk.
Please bring a picnic lunch and
drink. From the trail you can see
Dugger Mountain, one of the newest national wilderness areas in Alabama.
There will be
an optional restaurant dinner after the hike.
You will have an opportunity to wash up and change clothes in the
Eubanks Welcome Center restrooms after the hike. If you’d like to clean up and/or change clothes, please bring
your soap and towel and/or change of clothes with you.
Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the
Applebee’s Restaurant in Trussville. We
plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m. or meet 10:20 a.m. at the Eubanks
Welcome Center on the Chief Ladiga Trail in Piedmont.
Trip Leader and Info: Sean Boogaard, 256/365-6321.
OCTOBER 22, SATURDAY,
Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings
10.6-Mile Bicycle Ride
Where: Chief Ladiga Trail, Piedmont,
Alabama
Details: Join friendly folks for a 10.6 mile
bicycle ride on the Chief Ladiga Trail in the Piedmont, Alabama area. Ride on Alabama’s first extended
rails-to-trails conversion route on an old railroad right of way. The trail we’ll be riding on is smooth, 8-10
feet wide and even paved. There are no hills on this trail. The trail is suitable for road bikes
plus mountain, hybrid and urban bicycles.
Ride through towns, fields and picturesque woodlands. No
motorized vehicles are allowed on your trail!
Bicycle helmets are required and
must be worn. Please bring a picnic
lunch and drink.
The pace of
this bicycle ride will be leisurely.
From time to time we will stop bicycling just to enjoy the scenery and
views from the four bridges over the creeks.
However, please note that
this ride is 10.6 miles long. We recommend that participants intending
to come on this outing have bicycled at least a few times during the 30 days
prior to October 22. In order to be
assured that you can ride comfortably on this trip you should probably be able
to ride at an average speed of 8-12 miles per hour on level terrain.
There will be an optional restaurant
dinner after the bicycle ride. You will
have an opportunity to wash up and change clothes in the Eubanks Welcome Center
restrooms after the bicycle ride. If
you’d like to clean up and/or change clothes, please bring your soap and towel
and/or change of clothes with you.
Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the
Applebee’s Restaurant in Trussville. We
plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m. or meet 10:20 a.m. at the Eubanks
Welcome Center on the Chief Ladiga Trail in Piedmont.
Reservations Required:
If you want to come
on this bicycle ride, please make a reservation with Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone
205-631-4680. Also, if you have a bike rack which can hold
more than one bicycle, please bring it with you to Piedmont in order to facilitate
the required car shuttle and advise Dan that you are doing so. We probably need to leave about two vehicles
at the Eubanks Welcome Center in order to transport the drivers of all the
remaining vehicles from the end point of the ride back to the start point to
pick up their vehicles after the ride is concluded.
Information and Ride
Leader: Dan
Frederick, 205/631-4680, email seoutings@bellsouth.net
OCTOBER 29, SATURDAY,
Meet 10:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings
Dayhike, Richard Martin Trail (previously named Limestone Rail Trail), Elkmont,
Alabama
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Details: This trail is located in extreme
North Alabama just to the west of I-65 and a few miles south of the
Tennessee-Alabama border. The hike is
rated easy. We will hike a total of 5.3
miles. There is much lovely scenery
along the path that was once a part of the Tennessee and Alabama Central
Railroad.
Walk on one of Alabama’s
rails-to-trails conversion routes on an old railroad right of way. This smooth trail is wide, and level. No hills on this trail. On this particular hike you will be walking
on a scenic trail which goes through fields, near houses and through the woods. The trail winds through wetlands with
wildlife and a great variety of birds.
On the trail you will pass the site of the Civil War Battle of Sulphur
Creek Trestle. Please bring your picnic lunch and drink with you.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 8 and over
able to walk 6 miles without complaining are welcome.
Absolutely delicious optional dinner afterwards at
Terranova’s Restaurant in Athens, Alabama.
Please meet 10:45
a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride.
We plan to depart from there at 11:00 a.m.
Info. and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net,
phone 205-631-4680
