Details: The trail winds along a bubbling stream, Yellow Leaf Creek, overhung with majestic American beech, oak, and hickory trees. The stream expands to 15-feet wide at its widest point along the trail. We may offer two options. Option A involves a short moderate hike off trail to view a pretty waterfall nearby, and then return to the main trail where we will hike to the far end of the trail and back to the start. A few days before May 3 Dan Frederick will scout Option A to ascertain whether the waterfall is likely to be running or not on May 3. Option B involves easy hiking on the main trail from start to end and return on the trail. There are footbridges over the streams, and, except for a steep patch over a ridge, walking on the trail itself is easy. Happy hiking! Please bring your water with you.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to walk 4 miles without complaining are welcome to participate.
Please meet at 1:45 p.m. in the small DVGWT trail head parking lot on the edge of Yellow Leaf Creek on the edge of the soccer fields on AL Highway 41. We plan to depart from there at 2:00 p.m. Please note that this is a different meeting place and starting point from the place where we have begun our hike on this trail nearly every other time in the past!
Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680
MAY 10, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 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 May 10. 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 9:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s Restaurant in Trussville. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m. or meet 11:20 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 southeasternoutings@gmail.com 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 southeasternoutings@gmail.com
MAY 15, THURSDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Leisurely Weekday Cahaba Lily Walk
Where: Hargrove Shoals, Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge, along the Cahaba River in Bibb County
Details: Please come with us on a THURSDAY to see the largest display of blooming Cahaba lilies in the world, acres and acres of them spread out over the water in the river. These lilies are a sight to behold! In places, it often looks like it has snowed on the river in May. Over seven miles of the Cahaba River lie within the Refuge boundary. The rolling uplands surrounding the river are forested with mountain longleaf and loblolly pines. Mixed upland hardwood species line ravines and the river's edge.
The largest known stand of the imperiled shoals lily (known locally as the Cahaba lily) also occurs within the Refuge. During May and June, this beautiful plant blooms, and people come from across the region to view this magnificent display of nature. Twenty people participated in a previous Southeastern Outings-sponsored weekday Cahaba lily walk in 2021. We were pleased with the turnout then. For your information, in addition to this Thursday, May 15 event, Southeastern Outings has also scheduled an additional Cahaba Lily walk to this area on Saturday, May 17, 2024.
The hike is about five miles round trip. The walking pace for this hike will be moderately easy. We’ll stop often to catch our breath and note views, trees, birdsongs, the trail and woods and lilies around us. Happy hiking!
Wear sturdy footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty. Old sneakers work well. You’ll want to put on your river shoes so you can walk out into the shallow parts of the river to stroll through and touch the lilies which grow only in the water. You’ll also need to wear your river wading shoes to wade through Caffee Creek in order to be able to walk to where you can view the largest stand of lilies at Hargrove Shoals.
Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable!! You may wear your sturdy river shoes for the entire trip if you wish. Please bring picnic lunch and your drink. Two hiking poles are strongly recommended to provide substantial, additional stability when wading in the river.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.
Info. and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com
MAY 17, SATURDAY, 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Cahaba Lily Walk, Hargrove Shoals along the Cahaba River in Bibb County
Details: Please come with us to see the largest display of blooming Cahaba lilies in the world, acres and acres of them spread out over the water in the river. These lilies are a sight to behold! In places, it often looks like it has snowed on the river in May. Over seven miles of the Cahaba River lie within the Refuge boundary. The rolling uplands surrounding the river are forested with mountain longleaf and loblolly pines. Mixed upland hardwood species line ravines and the river's edge.
The largest known stand of the imperiled shoals lily (known locally as the Cahaba lily) also occurs within the Refuge. During May and June, this beautiful plant blooms, and people come from across the region to view this magnificent display of nature.
Well-behaved, properly-supervised children age 7 and over welcome.
The hike is about five miles round trip.
Rated easy. Wear sturdy footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty. Old sneakers work well. You’ll want to put on your river shoes so you can walk out into the shallow parts of the river to stroll through and touch the lilies which grow only in the water. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable!! You may wear your sturdy river shoes for the entire trip if you like. Please bring picnic lunch and your drink. Hiking poles are strongly recommended to provide additional, substantial stability when wading in the river.
Please meet at 8:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.
Info. and hike leader: Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or southeasternoutings@gmail.com
MAY 24, SATURDAY, Picnic at 7:00 p.m. Concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
FREE Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Concert Where: Railroad Park situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets South in downtown Birmingham
Click for more pictures
Details: Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, the ASO is excited to play a free series of concerts in Birmingham's Railroad Park! Enjoy music under the stars with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Please join us for this special concert which promises to yield a great evening of fun. Relax on the lawn with your blanket or lawn chair. If you’d like to eat with us, please bring your picnic (no glass or alcohol allowed) to enjoy at 7:00 p.m. Concert itself begins at 7:30 p.m.
To find the group, please look for the Southeastern Outings people near the walkway on the railroad side (far side of park away from 1st Avenue South) of the park. You are welcome to bring as many friends and family members as you wish.
Admission: FREE
More Info: Please call the ASO office, 205/251-6929 or Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680.
MAY 31, SATURDAY, please meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip on the Elk River near Elkmont, Alabama
Click for More PicturesDetails: The six-mile section we will paddle is easy with no obstructions. This is a scenic stretch of river located in a very rural area.Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each one must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their boat.
Many of our members have expressed a desire to paddle once again on this stretch of the Elk River. We are extremely grateful to Dan’s daughter, Aree Frederick, who has agreed to provide outfitting services to our entire group for this outing. For this trip you may rent one-person plastic kayaks and paddles for $30 or you may rent two-person canoes for $40 from Aree. She has for rent about 65 one-person sit-upon kayaks and about 25 tandem (two-person) canoes.
If you rent a boat from Aree, she will bring your rented boat to the put in and meet you there. She will also meet you at the take out, so you will never need to transport your rented boat at all. Shuttle fee, paddles, and life jacket are included in the boat rental fee for those who rent boats from Aree Frederick.
If you wish to rent a kayak or canoe from Aree, please notify Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone 205/631-4680 BEFORE May 30 to reserve your boat.
If you want to come on the May 31 SEO kayak and canoe trip AND you are renting a boat from Aree at the site of the trip, in this instance you are required to call or contact ONLY Dan Frederick and notify him that you are coming! Dan will inform Aree how many rental kayaks and canoes she will need to provide to SEO people for this trip.
This is a new outfitter for Southeastern Outings. Both of the two Elk River outfitters we used previously closed their businesses. However, we will still boat on the same stretch of the Elk River as we have done previously. We have been unable to sponsor a trip on this river for the four years because we could not identify an outfitter who would provide boat rental services to us.
You may bring your own kayak or canoe on this outing. You will not have to pay a shuttle fee to Aree because boat owners on this trip will run their own shuttles.
Children able to swim and age 10 and over welcome.
After the kayak/canoe trip we will go for dinner at an excellent Italian restaurant in Athens, Alabama. If you would like to have dinner with us at the restaurant after the kayak and canoe trip, please bring your things to clean up with and a change of clothes. After the kayak and canoe outing is completed, we plan to schedule a stop at the Buc-ee’s in Athens, Alabama. If you wish, you will be able to use the very large restrooms and change clothes and wash up there in relative comfort before you come to the restaurant for dinner with us and/or drive home.
Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride at Exit #284 off I-65 North. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m. For more essential information about this trip, please see Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips below.
Reservations Required: You must call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com if you plan to come on this kayak and canoe trip. You may leave a message on Dan’s voice mail if you wish.
If you are planning to meet the group initially at the put in instead of at the designated meeting place near Birmingham, please tell Dan Frederick in advance that you are planning to meet the group at the put in.
Please do not make it necessary for Dan to contact you concerning information which you have already received in this announcement and in the notes below.
Info. and trip leader: If you have questions, please call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com.
Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips
The kayak and canoe outings listed in the announcements above are suitable for beginner/novice canoeists and kayakers, but each beginner canoeist must paddle with an experienced canoeist. 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 boat from the outfitter(s) listed above.
Please bring in the boat your picnic lunch, something to drink, and a towel. Put your belongings in a waterproof dry bag in the boat. Wear old, thick-soled shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well). Also bring at least 6 feet of sturdy cord to tie up your boat if you don’t already have cord attached to your own boat. If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.
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