December 2020 Activities

 


DECEMBER 5, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike

Where: DeSoto State Park and Lost Falls

 

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Details: Moderately easy hike in DeSoto State Park. We will hike along the beautiful West Fork of Little River.  We’ll also hike various other trails in the park and visit Lost Falls and possibly DeSoto Falls.  This is one of the most scenic state parks in Alabama.  Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 9 and over able to walk about 5 miles without complaining welcome.

After the outing we’ll enjoy an optional restaurant dinner together. 

Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s Trussville. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.

 

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680

 

DECEMBER 6, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings moderately easy approximately 6-mile dayhike on the Black Creek Trail in Fultondale and Gardendale, just north of Birmingham

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Details: Walk on a rails-to-trails conversion route on an old railroad right of way.  This smooth trail is wide and level.  No hills!  This finely-crushed rock surface trail goes through mostly wooded terrain.  Note that the trail has been extended recently.  Our route on December 6 will include both the previously-hiked section and the new section.  So come out to see and experience what the new part looks like!  Total hike distance is 6 miles.

        No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail!  This outing should be lots of fun for everyone.  Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age seven and up able to walk 6 miles without complaining are welcome on this walk.  This outing has consistently been one of our most popular events since it is easy and close to Birmingham.

Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Black Creek Park in Fultondale, Alabama.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

 

Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680

 

 CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER

DECEMBER 12, 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 in Alexander City after the hike.

 

Info: Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680

 

DECEMBER 13, 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.  Optional dinner after the hike. 

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 19, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Moderately Easy Dayhike, Alum Hollow on Green Mountain, Nature Trail also on Green Mountain, and Monte Sano State Park--all in the Huntsville, AL Area

 

Details: Our first adventure of the day will be hiking Alum Hollow Trail. Sitting atop Green Mountain in Huntsville, Alum Hollow Trail just opened to the public in the spring of 2016 and is on property donated to the Land Trust of North Alabama. The mile long trail (one-way) is an easy stroll through light woods, ending at two waterfalls. The last hundred feet of the trail down to the waterfalls is steep but very walkable with time and careful footing.  If you wish to not walk down to the falls, there is an area where you can sit and wait for those who do go down. While waiting, you can explore a rock overhang that probably served as shelter for Native Americans. This hike is rated easy to moderate based on the last hundred feet.

                After our hike at Alum Hollow, we will go to the Madison County Nature Trail on Green Mountain for a picnic lunch. We can sit amongst the trees in the picnic grounds and enjoy the view of a covered bridge across the lake.  There are restrooms there. This is really a pretty setting.

                From Green Mountain we will travel to Monte Sano State Park and hike the Sinks and Stone Cuts Trails. This 3 to 4-mile hike is moderate mainly based on length. There is some elevation gain, but it is not strenuous. Trails are generally in good shape, but in some places the trails have what is known as the 3 R’s of hiking; rocks, roots and ruts.  The Stone Cuts are large, natural rock formations on the mountain.  When you enter the large limestone rocks to see the Stone Cuts, you feel the temperature drop. 

            Please wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather.  Bring water, snacks, a picnic lunch, hiking poles if you use them and Monte Sano Park entrance fee. 

 

Fees

Adult Ages 12+   $5.00                                                       

Seniors 62+       $2.00                                                      

Children Ages 4-11            $2.00

Please be sure you bring exact change park admission.  You will deposit your admission fee in an honor box.  There is no park agent there to make change for larger bills.

Optional dinner at a Thai restaurant in Huntsville after the hike.

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and over welcome.   Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride.  We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.  You may also meet at 10:15 am in the parking lot in front of the Target Store in Valley Bend at Jones Valley.  The whole group plans to depart from there at 10:30 a.m.  Address of the Target Store is 2750 Carl T. Jones Drive, Suite 7, Huntsville, Alabama 35802-4914.  Please park in the shopping center parking lot. You can then use the restrooms in the Target before we leave to start our hike.

Info. and Trip Leader: Wayne Rosetti, email wlr765@icloud.com or phone 256/651-7363

 

DECEMBER 20, 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. 

Meet at 1:45 p.m. in the parking lot for the Helena City Park on AL Highway 261by 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.

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680

 

DECEMBER 26, SUNDAY, 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 Sunday after Thanksgiving.  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, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680

 

November 2020 Activities

 NOVEMBER 7, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Moderate Dayhike

Where: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Trenton, Georgia

 

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Details: Hike along the highly scenic rim trail around this lovely canyon in Northwest Georgia.  Lunch will be on a large, flat rock outcropping from where we’ll have beautiful, panoramic views across the canyon.  After we complete the canyon rim hike, we will offer an optional walk down into the bottom of the canyon itself.  The rushing stream in the bottom of the canyon has two good-sized waterfalls which those who walk down into the canyon will view close up.  Fall color should hopefully be at its peak. 

        Please bring picnic lunch, plenty of water, and $5.00 per vehicle park entry fee.  Delicious, optional restaurant dinner afterwards.  You may wish to bring in the car a change of clothes for dinner, but this is not required.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age ten and up welcome.  Parents, please be aware that there are very high, steep cliffs with no guard rails adjacent to the rim trail. 

Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s Trussville. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net

 

NOVEMBER 8, 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.  Optional dinner after the hike. 

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

 Canceled

NOVEMBER 11, WEDNESDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Weekday Walk Very Near Birmingham

Where: Turkey Creek Nature Preserve near Pinson in Jefferson County, Alabama

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Details: You are invited to participate in an easy, fun Southeastern Outings short dayhike in the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve near Pinson.  Come walk with us through this heavily-wooded area.  We’ll hike on the relatively new trail which has been officially opened since 2012. The trail extends from the upper parking area through the woods to a large creek with a long, sloping waterfall in the middle of the preserve.  Total hiking distance is 2.3 miles.  Please bring drinking water with you.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and over are welcome.

Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve oval, upper parking lot on the north side of The Narrows Road about 1.4 miles west of the intersection of AL 79, AL 151 and The Narrows Road in Pinson.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to walk 2.3 miles welcome.  Share an adventure.  Bring a friend or friends.

Info. and trip leader: Francis Rushton, 205-290-5557 or ferushton@gmail.com

 

NOVEMBER 14, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike

Where: Pinhoti Trail near Coleman Lake in Shoal Creek Ranger District, Talladega National Forest. Cleburne County, Alabama

 


Details: A moderate 6 mile hike in one of the interesting parts of the Talladega National Forest, mostly on the Pinhoti Trail. This year's route will vary from most of our previous hikes there and excludes visiting the historic Shoal Creek Church.  Instead, we'll combine a loop south of the trailhead around beautiful Coleman Lake with a visit to the "woodpecker farm" and then visit spectacular longleaf pine forest areas north of the trailhead on Forest Service Road 500.        

The Pinhoti Trail guide describes the woodpecker farm as follows: "The Woodpecker Farm is basically what 92,000,000 acres of the Southeast looked like before Europeans arrived.  The area was formerly completely dominated by very mature longleaf pines up to 400 years old and old growth oak, hickory and tupelo as the canopy over a grass understory". The area is one of several maintained by the U.S. Forest Service to help preserve the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.      Our route will take us along the Coleman Lake trail, providing a different view as we return to the trailhead.  Then we will walk across Forest Service Road 500 and hike through the longleaf forest in that area.                                                 Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and older welcome. 

         This hike is relatively flat but rated moderate because of its length.              Please bring picnic lunch and water with you on the hike. 

Optional dinner after the hike.

Please meet at 8:45 a.m. in the Leeds Highway 78 gravel parking lot.  We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.

Info. And Leader: Francis Rushton 205/290-5557 or ferushton@gmail.com

 

NOVEMBER 21, SATURDAY, Meet 9:00 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike

Where: The new Shoal Creek Park, Montevallo, Alabama

 

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Details: Southeastern Outings has planned an easy approximately 4.1-mile hike in the new Shoal Creek Park in Montevallo.  On October 30, 2018, ten people participated in an SEO scouting trip there led by Shane Baugh, the Montevallo Parks and Recreation Director, and we were delighted at what we found.  We subsequently had highly successful hikes there for the entire group on December 22, 2018, on March 9, 2019 and again on May 14, 2020.

This 167-acre park has some new trails (2.1 miles and 1.6 miles) already constructed and some less developed trails which we will also hike.  One trail does follow the creek a good ways.  Total hike distance is about 4.1 miles. 

The park is located on both sides of Shoal Creek about 2 miles upstream from Orr Park where we have begun our past hikes on the Montevallo Parks Trail.

For those concerned about having to cross the slippery log over the creek, please be advised that the trail now crosses the creek on a brand new, sturdy, concrete bridge and on a wooden bridge in yet another location in the park.  Also please note that the restrooms in the park are now completely constructed and open for your use.

We are pleased to advise that this hike will be led by Bill Ennis.  Bill has basically adopted this lovely park as a pet project.  He has laid out and built some of the trails on which we will hike on November 21, and he has designed and constructed the wooden bridge in the park as well.

The park is located 1.1 miles south of American Village on AL Highway 119 in Montevallo.

Please bring your picnic lunch, water, and a hiking pole or two with you. 

Please meet at 9:00 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 9:15 a.m. 

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to walk 4 miles without complaining are welcome.

Admission to the park is free!

Info: Bill Ennis, 205/405-4636 cell or email billennis47@gmail.com

 

NOVEMBER 22, SUNDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Walk in a Forest Preserve in Homewood

 

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Details: The City of Homewood owns two forest preserves on Shades Mountain adjacent to the Homewood High School.  Come and spend a relaxing two hours walking and possibly admiring fall wildflowers with us in the lower preserve.  Rated moderately easy.  Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 6 and older welcome. 

Please meet 1:45 p.m. in the Homewood High School east (nearest Brookwood Village Shopping Center) parking lot, just off Lakeshore Drive in Homewood.  We plan to depart from there at 2:00 p.m.

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net, phone 205/631-4680

 

NOVEMBER 28, SATURDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Easy Walk

Moved from Sunday November 29

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 Sunday after Thanksgiving.  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 Thanksgiving 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, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680

 

October 2020 Activities

 Click for Directions to Meeting Places 



Most of you are already familiar with the stay-at-home
order issued by the Governor of Alabama and effective 
beginning April 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.


The proclamation states , “Effective Saturday, 
April 4, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., every person is ordered 
to stay at his or her place of residence except as 
necessary to perform any of the following “essential 
activities”:


One of those notable essential activities 
relevant to Southeastern Outings events is:


To engage in outdoor activity.  A person may leave his or her place of residence to participate in outdoor activity that involves fewer than 10 people so long as the person maintains a consistent six-foot distance from other persons.


Notice of Southeastern Outings Precautionary Measures Concerning Covid 19 Virus


Southeastern Outings assures all our outings participants that we strongly desire to protect your health during this critical time.  You may make your own decisions about what to do to protect yourselves, but the following measures are what we strongly suggest.  We recommend taking the following measures.


We ask our participants to maintain a reasonable social distance, usually 6 or more feet, between yourself and other people.  We recognize that this may not always be possible, but we encourage you to keep some distance from others as much as possible.


We encourage all our people coming on outings with us to drive from the meeting place to the outing start point in the same vehicle in which they arrived at the meeting place.  Naturally if more than one person arrives at the meeting place in a given vehicle, then all the people in that vehicle may ride together in that same vehicle driving from the meeting place to the outing start point.


One or two persons will be designated to sign everyone in so that clipboards and pens are not shared by everyone on the outing.


We will have outing announcements, but we ask you to try insofar as possible to maintain a distance of six feet between yourself and others while the announcements are given.  Dan will try to project his voice effectively in such instances, and please, please do not converse with others while announcements are being made.


In instances when we have more than ten participants coming on an outing, we will split the group up into two parties of ten or less people with two different leaders.  Everyone will go to the same places during the outing, but we will want to reduce the number of people hiking together in the same group to less than ten. 


Optional restaurant dinners will be cancelled until further notice.


In any case, of course,  if you have flu-like symptoms (fever, aches or pains in the joints and respiratory system problems) please stay at home and do not come on outings with us!  This is just common sense. 


We want to point out that walking in the woods where there are not many other people present is considerably safer at this time than walking in crowds of people or in heavily populated public places.  Participating in our events will give you opportunities to be in the outdoors, get some beneficial exercise, and do something you enjoy with other people while still allowing you to easily and conveniently maintain safe social distancing.

OCTOBER 3, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Bicycle Ride

Where: Horse Creek Trail, Dora and Sumiton, AL

 

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Details: Join friendly folks on an easy approximately 7-mile bicycle ride on the Horse Creek Trail in Dora and Sumiton, in Walker County, sort of near Jasper, Alabama.  The trail itself is about 3.5 miles long.  Everyone will be bicycling one round trip on this outing. 

        Ride on one of Alabama’s rails-to-trails conversion routes on an old railroad right of way.  This smooth trail is wide, level and paved.  No hills on this trail.  On this particular bike ride you will be bicycling on a scenic trail which goes through fields, near houses and through the woods.

        The trail is nicely developed, with frequent covered benches.  People you meet are both friendly and helpful.

        No motorized vehicles are allowed on your trail!  Note this is a relatively easy ride, one which should be lots of fun for everyone who enjoys bicycling.  Please bring your bicycle water with you.

Jean’s on the River Restaurant near Cordova is currently closed.  Therefore we will NOT be going to lunch following the October 3 bicycle ride on the Horse Creek Trail in Sumiton and Dora.  We WILL offer an optional second round trip ride of 7 more miles on that trail following completion of the first 7-mile ride this coming Saturday.

        Meet 9:45 a.m. just outside the left front door of the Wal-Mart in Sumiton, Alabama.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Info and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.

 

OCTOBER 4, SUNDAY, 2:00 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Sunday Dayhike

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, streams, 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.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age seven and up able to walk the distance and complete the hike without complaining are welcome.

Please meet 2:00 p.m. at the Moss Rock Preserve Boulderfield Dirt Parking Lot just off Preserve Parkway. We plan to depart from there promptly at 2:15 p.m.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age eight and over welcome.

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

 Info:  Scott Myers, 205/393-5230, email myers.scottv@gmail.com


OCTOBER 7, WEDNESDAY, Meet 8:30 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Weekday Hike

Red Mountain Park

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Note: This weekday hike will be limited to 8 individuals unless there is a significant drop in COVID 19 cases in Jefferson County prior to the hike date. Participants are required to reserve a spot with Francis Rushton (ferushton@gmail.com) in advance.  All participating will be required to bring a mask.  Participants will be required to wear their masks when congregating together at the meeting place, although wearing the mask will not be required on the trail while maintaining six or more feet separation among hikers.  

Details:  This will be a moderately strenuous loop hike of about 4.5 miles in Red Mountain Park beginning at the Park’s Jones Valley parking lot on Venice Road on the north side of Red Mountain. We plan to use a combination of the trails numbered 12, 16 and 17 to loop up and down through beautiful hardwood forests, past mine ruins, down old railway rights of way and across mine tailings. 

Would it excite you to hear that Birmingham has secured a recreational, public park space of 1,400+ acres—an area twice as large as New York's Central Park?  Could you, your friends and family find a use for more than 18 miles of new hiking and biking trails, open fields and picnic areas, all within 15 minutes of downtown Birmingham? 

In March, 2012 The Red Mountain Park Commission opened the eastern section of this park to the public, offering folks a chance to walk the property and get a feel for the location and scale of the land.

This will be Southeastern Outings’ twentieth hike in the Park.  Please come with us for a 3-4 hour hike on a walkable portion of this noteworthy place.  Hike rated moderately strenuous since it is a fairly long hike and there are some hills to climb.  This is one of the largest city parks in the United States!  For considerably more information about the park, please visit the park’s website:

 http://www.redmountainpark.org.

 Note-To view photos of what we have seen on previous hikes in this park, please click on these links:

https://picasaweb.google.com/117487739902236300578/RedMountainParkMay272012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

AND

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iHZhmyZxtkweVtSZ2

AND

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Xe1PxeNqtJwPOzWU2

Please be sure to click on the links and view the photographs.

Please bring plenty of water to drink and wear comfortable footwear suitable for walking 4.5 miles.  Dress appropriately for the weather.  We expect to complete the hike about lunch time.        

For those who would like to enjoy lunch with their fellow hikers, you may join the group for lunch at the Subway sandwich restaurant on Lakeshore Parkway on the drive back.       

Please meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Jones Valley parking lot for Red Mountain Park, 2109 Venice Road, Birmingham, Alabama.   We plan to depart from there at 8:45 a.m.

Reservations Required: You must contact Francis Rushton, ferushton@gmail.com to reserve a place for yourself on this hike. 

Information: Francis Rushton, 205/290-5557 or email ferushton@gmail.com

  

OCTOBER 10, SATURDAY, Meet 6:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Evening Walk

Where: Hillsboro Trail, Helena, Shelby County, Alabama

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Details: Join friendly folks on an easy four-mile evening walk on the Hillsboro Trail in Helena, Alabama.  This smooth trail is wide, paved and with only a few short hills.   On this particular walk you will be walking on a scenic trail which goes through mostly wooded terrain. 

          No motorized vehicles are allowed on your trail!  All road crossings are through three tunnels under the roads.  Note this is a relatively easy outing, one which should be lots of fun for everyone.  Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age seven and up able to walk four miles without complaining are welcome on this walk. 

After the walk we’ll enjoy going together for frozen yogurt at Yogurt Mountain in Hoover if Yogurt Mountain is open that evening. 

Meet at 6:45 p.m. in the front parking lot at the Helena Middle School and depart from that location at 7:00 p.m. to begin the walk.

Info: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680

 

OCTOBER 11, 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-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: Randall Adkins, 205/317-6969

 

OCTOBER 17, 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 second, moderately easy 5.2 mile-long hike in this newly created park.  

Cahaba River Park will include two sectors: a larger sector on the north side of the river and a sector on the south side of the river that will allow for motorized access.

            The river will split the park into two sites with different amenities.  The north side, which is being 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 being 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; 3 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 17 will include walking on the Wild Turkey, Reflection and Northern Pines Trails.  The three trails offer a nice blend of forest and creek views.  The Northern Pines Trail offers 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 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: Jason Otis, 334-546-7648 or email jmotis@me.com

 

OCTOBER 24, SATURDAY, 8:15 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike

Where: Bucks Pocket State Park

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Details: Bucks Pocket State Park has one of the greatest concentrations and variety of wildflowers of any public area in the State of Alabama.  Join fellow nature lovers for a walk on trails in this very scenic park.  We may have a wildflower resource guide knowledgeable in wildflower identification to hike with us on this outing.

In the morning we’ll first drive to visit High Falls.  This is a spectacular, large volume waterfall.  We’ll have our picnic lunch at High Falls Park.  Then we’ll drive a short distance to Bucks Pocket State Park for an easy stroll on trails in this very scenic park.  We’ll start at the overlook and walk slowly down to the canyon floor.  Along the way we’ll stop by and view two lovely waterfalls.  After that part of the hike in Bucks Pocket State Park, we’ll cross the creek and see even more wildflowers as we walk on a trail through the woods heading upstream beside the creek to a third waterfall. 

Total walking distance in Bucks Pocket State Park is about 5 miles.  Hike rated moderate.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and up able to walk five miles without complaining welcome.

After the outing we’ll enjoy an optional delicious restaurant dinner together in Guntersville. 

Please meet at 8:15 a.m. at the Food Giant parking lot in Pinson.  We plan to depart from there at 8:30 a.m.

Info. and trip leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone 205/631-4680

 

OCTOBER 31, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Hike

Where: Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve

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Details: Join SEO for a moderate, approximately four-mile, big loop hike on the lovely, well-maintained trails in the 1000+-acre Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, one of the largest in-city nature preserves in the country. 

We’ll see remnants of old iron ore mining operations which took place on the mountain.  We’ll stop by and visit three old iron ore crushers, stop by the entrances to three, different types of iron ore mines, walk around the new wetlands area, see a real artesian well which still emits copious amounts of water, and view foundations for ore car hoists and various water tanks.

This trip will involve some elevation gain hiking between the lower sections of the park to the top of Ruffner Mountain.

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and up able to walk five miles without complaining welcome.

Please bring your picnic lunch and drinking water with you. 

Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center Pavilion.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Info: David Shepherd, davidshep2@yahoo.com or 205/240-4681