DECEMBER 9, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Moderately Strenuous Dayhike on the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail System at Lake Martin, near Alexander City, Alabama
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Details: Located on the banks of Lake Martin, Alabama’s largest and allegedly most beautiful lake, the area offers linked loop trails. Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trails are among the most scenic and diverse hiking trails in Alabama. The trails skirt the shoreline of beautiful Lake Martin, a 40,000-acre, 700-mile-shoreline lake. Other areas of the trails are high rocky ridges and bluffs, some with vistas of 6 to 8 miles overlooking Kowaliga Bay, Chimney Rock, and others along rocky shoal creeks, and rippling brooks. The trails are routed through a variety of flora and fauna. There are high rocky ridges with mountain long leaf pine, mountain laurel, low and high bush blueberry, and lush hardwood forests that include redbud, sourwood, dogwood, native azalea, umbrella and big leaf magnolia. Large thickets of Catawba Rhododendron are numerous. Deer, turkey and numerous bird species, including bald eagles, can be seen along the trail.
The trails are built to blend into nature, free of bicycles, motorized vehicles, horses or other pack animals. All trails are built on Alabama Power Company land that is set aside as naturally undeveloped.
The trails are well-marked and maintained, the terrain is varied, and the scenery on a clear day is spectacular.
We will hike about 4 miles. We will see longleaf pine and mixed hardwood forests, open airy sections, and other trail sections under fuller forest canopy. We also will see pristine lake views, boats, birds, boulders and deer tracks.
Please wear hiking boots! Please meet 8:45 a.m. at Publix in the Village at Lee Branch in Greystone. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age ten and over welcome.
Optional restaurant dinner after the hike.
Information and Hike Leader: Dan Frederick, phone 205/631-4680
or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com
DECEMBER 10, SUNDAY, Meet 12:45 p.m.
Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park
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Details: Enjoy a moderate 4-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 and complete the hike are welcome.
Share an adventure! Bring a friend.
Please meet at 12:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park office parking lot. We plan to depart from there at 1:00 p.m.
Please bring $5/person ($2.00 seniors) park admission fee plus your drink.
Info: Randall Adkins, 205-317-6969
DECEMBER 16, SATURDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Moderate Dayhike
Where: Pinhoti Trail from Bulls Gap to White Gap near Sylacauga
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 13, 2022. 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. Since there will be no leaves on the trees at this time of year, we should have beautiful views over the mountains throughout most of the hike. 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 be 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
DECEMBER 30, SATURDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.
Southeastern Outings Easy Walk
Where: Vulcan Trail inside the City Limits of Birmingham
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Details: Enjoy an easy walk in the woodlands overlooking Birmingham on the day after Christmas. The trail is level, as it is on an old mining railroad right of way just below the crest of Red Mountain. This walk is an ideal activity for those Christmas guests who have been in your house for several days and with whom you are looking for something to do to get them out of the house. A previous walk on this trail drew one of the highest number of participants, 67, on any outing SEO has ever sponsored. Don’t miss it!
Please meet at 1:45 p.m. in the Vulcan Park and Museum Parking Lot where you would normally park to visit the statue and Vulcan Park. We plan to depart from there at 2:00 p.m. We will walk from the big parking lot a short distance down some new stairs to the trail head and then on the trail to Green Springs Highway and back. The formerly unpaved section of the Vulcan Trail has recently been widened and resurfaced.
There is no charge to participate in this hike and there is no charge for admission to either Vulcan Park or the trail.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to walk 4 miles welcome. After the walk is completed, there will be an optional dinner at Jim 'N Nick's 11th Avenue Grill at Five Points South.
Share an adventure. Bring a friend or friends.
Info: Dan Frederick, southeasterneoutings@gmail.com or 205/631-4680
