SEO Archives

August 2022 Activities

AUGUST 13, SATURDAY, Meet 10:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Tube Float

Where: On the Cahaba River from the south bank of the Cahaba River in Cahaba River Park near Helena to Living River, the Presbyterian Church Camp on the Cahaba River

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Details: Join friendly folks on a relaxing, lazy, summer day tube float. Everyone is cordially invited on this real fun event. The float will be on the Cahaba River near Helena and Pea Ridge, Alabama.

The Cahaba River itself – the longest free-flowing river in Alabama – preserves a remarkable and fragile biodiversity, including an incredible variety of freshwater mussels, turtles, snails, and crayfish, as well as more fish species per mile than any other river in North America. The globally significant biodiversity of the Cahaba has been widely recognized by conservation groups and scientists.

Distance tubing on the river is about 3 miles.

We will eat our picnic lunches by the river when we arrive at the put in point. Then we will pump up the tubes with car-connected, electric float pumps at the start point of the trip. We’ll run a car shuttle taking most of the cars to the take out point, and then one or two cars will bring the drivers back to the put in. The put in is immediately adjacent to the parking lot so you will carry your tube only a short distance to the edge of the river. You will not need to hike through the woods carrying an inflated tube at all. Then we will float on the river for about two to three hours.

Please bring picnic lunch, drink, sunscreen, towel and dry clothes in the car to change into for the ride back home. For the tube float itself wear old shorts or a swim suit and substantial, snug fitting footwear you don't mind getting wet and dirty. Old sneakers usually work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable!

Dan’s daughter, Aree Frederick, has about 23 tubes to rent for $10 each. If you intend to rent a tube, please bring $10.00 exact amount. For this particular tube float you may bring your own tube if you like since we will not be using a commercial tubing outfitter.

You are welcome to bring your family and friends with you. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and older able to handle themselves in a tube for two to three hours on moving water are welcome and encouraged to come. Parents are advised of risks of wading and swimming in sometimes deep water, and parents are responsible for all risks to their children.

Here are some special points to note regarding this outing.

You must be able to swim to participate in this outing.

Reservations are required. You must email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 to make your reservation by Thursday, August 11 if you plan to come on this outing. Please advise your name and telephone number and whether you wish to rent a tube or are bringing your own tube. We are requiring reservations for this outing so that we can avoid having more people wanting to rent tubes than the number of tubes we have available. You may leave a message on Dan’s answering machine or voice mail if you wish. If you are also making a reservation for someone else coming with you, please give the NAME of that person. Don’t just say, “My daughter, my friend, my wife”.

If you have made a reservation to participate and then decide to cancel, please be absolutely sure to call and notify the trip leader. Don’t just tell your friend if you intend to cancel!!

Please do not just show up for this outing at the meeting place without making advance reservations! And if you decide to meet us at some place (like at the put in point) other than the meeting place specified in this announcement, please notify Dan in advance and directly of this fact.

Please meet at the McDonald’s Galleria parking lot no later than 10:45 a.m. We plan to depart from there promptly at 11:00 a.m. Arriving 15 minutes before departure time will allow time to use the restrooms at the McDonald’s, hear announcements concerning the day’s event, and form carpools from the parking lot. If you are not at the meeting place at the designated departure time, you will be on your own at the tube float. Please be on time ready to go at the meeting place!

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

AUGUST 20, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Outing, Big Wills Creek near Gadsden, Alabama.

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Details: This will be Southeastern Outings’ thirteenth kayak and canoe trip on Big Wills Creek. 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. Forty-six SEO people participated in this very popular outing in 2015.

Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each novice canoeist must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.

Please note that for this trip you may rent canoes and one or two-person (tandem) sit-upon plastic kayaks and paddles from Big Wills Outfitters.

Here is the schedule of outfitter charges:

1. solo kayaks each $30

2. canoes and tandem kayaks $50 each

3. shuttle fee per boat for owned rather than rented boats $10

Rental fees include life jackets and shuttle service. Also the outfitter will shuttle for a fee all private boats used on this outing. If you wish to rent a boat from Big Wills Outfitters, please call the outfitter BEFORE Saturday, August 20 at 256/538-3226 to reserve your boat. Tell the outfitter you are boating with Southeastern Outings. Please note that the outfitter has only 5 canoes and 57 one-person sit-upon kayaks and 5 tandem (2-person) sit-upon kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their boats of one type or the other are reserved for August 20, there will be no more boats of that type available to rent!

If you rent a boat from this outfitter, the outfitter will take you and your rented boat to the put in, and you will take out at the outfitter’s property so you will never need to transport your rented boat at all. Life jackets, paddles and shuttle fee are included in the rental boat fee for those who rent boats from the outfitter. You may bring your own canoe or kayak on this trip, but you must pay the outfitter to shuttle your privately-owned boat. For more information about the outfitter and photos of the creek, please visit their website www.facebook.com/bigwillsoutfitters

When we arrive at the outfitter’s, you will sign a waiver, pay your shuttle or boat rental fee, use the restroom, and then eat lunch in the picnic area at the outfitter’s. After you finish lunch, the outfitter will transport ALL the boaters and their boats, both rented and owned, to the put in. We will then paddle down the creek to the take out, stopping as often as we want to.

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 10 and over welcome.

After the canoe and kayak trip we are hopefully planning to go to a restaurant in Gadsden for dinner. Our going to dinner depends on what time we finish boating. If you would like to have dinner with us at the restaurant after the kayak and canoe trip, please bring a change of clothes. A changing room is available at the outfitter’s.

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 trip. You may leave a message on Dan’s voice mail if you wish.

If you want to come on the August 20 kayak and canoe trip AND you are renting a boat from the outfitter at the site of the trip, you are required in this instance to call the BOTH the outfitter to reserve your boat AND ALSO contact Dan Frederick to notify him that you are coming! 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.

Info. and trip leader: If you have questions or would like additional information about this outing, please call or email Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.

July 2022 Activities

JULY 4, MONDAY, 6:30 p.m.

Southeastern Outings 4^th of July Picnic

Where: Bartow Arena Park

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Details: Please bring your own blanket or chairs and all your picnic supplies: food, drinks (no alcohol, please), cups, ice, utensils, etc. Look for the SEO signs. SEO people will assemble to the right of the stage as you face the band, right where the grass ends and the concrete floor leading to the entrance to the arena begins. Well-behaved children, but no dogs, are welcome.

Reservations: Not required.

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

JULY 4, MONDAY, 7:00 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Attends FREE 4^th of July Band Concert Followed by City of Birmingham Fireworks

Where: Bartow Arena Park

Details: Band concert by the UAB Summer Band. This large group of carefully auditioned and selected student and professional musicians is an outstanding concert band. Please bring your own blanket or chairs. SEO people will assemble to the right of the stage as you face the band, right where the grass ends and the concrete floor leading to the entrance to the arena begins. Look for the Southeastern Outings signs. When the concert ends, conveniently enjoy clearly viewing the Birmingham City Fireworks from the picnic area. Well-behaved children, but no dogs, are welcome.

Reservations: Not required

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

JULY 4, MONDAY, After the Concert and Fireworks

Southeastern Outings Potluck Dessert Get-Together

Where: Bartow Arena Park

Details: Southeastern Outings people will stay at the Bartow Arena Park for a while after the fireworks are concluded, avoiding all the exiting traffic congestion. Then we will enjoy good company and food. You are encouraged to invite one or several guests to come with you since this event is one of the best SEO events for introducing yourself (if you are not already a member) and your friends to the group. Please bring a small dessert with you to share with the group. SEO will provide a table to set out desserts plus plates, napkins, forks and spoons. We suggest you also bring your own drink (no alcohol, please) with you.

Well-behaved children, but no dogs, are welcome.

No Charge

Reservations: Not required

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

JULY 9 SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings River Beach Walk, Swim and Picnic at Barton’s Beach in Perry County, Alabama

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Details: Enjoy a beach gathering on a beautiful, fine-grained sand beach in Alabama. 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.

You can float on the river from the upper end of the beach to the lower end of the beach and then carry your float and walk on the beach back up to the upper end and repeat that real fun experience as many times as you like during the day. You may bring whatever flotation device you wish on this outing. Dan will bring a float air pump to the beach. See float note below for information about flotation devices.

Please bring with you swimsuit, towel, picnic lunch and water, soft drink or fruit juice to drink. Wading shoes with substantial soles are recommended.

Restrooms are available at Perry Lakes County Park where we’ll park our cars. The approximate 1/2 mile hike to Barton’s Beach is easy since the terrain is level and the walk is all on trails.

We will 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 the tallest treetops in the area.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to swim are welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children. All participants must be able to swim to come on this outing!

Depending on the time we leave the beach, we might go for an optional dinner after the outing is concluded.

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

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

JULY 16, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Locust Fork River from Taylor’s Ford through Cornelius Falls in Blount County near Royal, AL

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Details: Easy river float on the Locust Fork River. Float in the river from Taylor’s Ford through Cornelius Falls and below. We’ll float downstream to the widest waterfall on the Locust Fork River. Enjoy eating your picnic lunch sitting on the rocks overlooking the waterfall. This is one of the prettiest lunch spots we have ever seen in Alabama. As we float we’ll also view sheer cliffs that rise high above the river. So enjoy a flowing river, high rock bluffs and a gorgeous waterfall—all along a nearly uninhabited stretch of this river. Please bring a picnic lunch, drink, sunscreen and something to float on such as a fabric-covered, inflatable vinyl float. See Float Note below for additional information.

Please wear swimsuit and sturdy footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty. Old sneakers work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable! You must be able to swim to participate in this outing!

Have fun swimming in the pools in the river and just sitting in Cornelius Falls. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up able to swim welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children.

Please bring a friend or several if you wish. Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Cleveland Chevron. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

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

JULY 23, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Short Dayhike and Glorious Swim at the bottom of the 102-foot-high DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park

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Details: Walk through the woods and down a steep hill in DeSoto State Park to the huge pool which many of you have seen from above when at the overlook above DeSoto Falls. We’ll be swimming and playing for most of the day in this pool at the bottom of the waterfall which is in the West Fork of Little River.

We are pleased to announce that DeSoto State Park has recently constructed a new trail which extends from the road going to the top of DeSoto Falls all the way down to the opposite side of pool at the bottom of the falls from where the previous trail leads. This new trail is considerably easier and much less treacherous than the trail we used to take there every time we did this trip in past years.

The new trail is 7/10 of a mile long one way. The first half goes down a fairly steep hill. The second half parallels the West Fork of Little River and is more or less level. The State Park Service rates this new trail as moderate to strenuous. I would rate it moderately strenuous. The surface is rocky, but the trail is open, and there is no underbrush and there are no vertical cliffs to negotiate.

That being said, it is highly recommended that anyone intending to come on this outing with us bring TWO sturdy hiking poles in order to wade safely across the West Fork of Little River (about 15 feet wide) from the side where the new trail is located over to the opposite side of the river where the sand and gravel beach is. We will spend most of the day floating on the water in the huge pool at the bottom of the waterfall and on that beach where we will eat our lunches.

You must be able to swim to participate in this outing! Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children.

Participants on this hike must: be able and willing to wear hiking boots or sturdy overland shoes to hike to and from the water’s edge and bring and wear shorts or swim suits and water shoes to wade the river and for the swim. Sturdy foot protection is required all day. Old sneakers work fine for the in-water activities, but please no bare feet, flimsy beach shoes, flip flops or loose slip-ons for the swim! Please don’t come if you are unwilling to get wet! Also please do bring a large plastic bag with twist tie or large Ziploc bag in which to put your wet shoes and also bring a hand towel to dry your feet before putting your socks and hiking boots back on for the walk out.

Please bring water, swimsuit, and any kind of a flotation device you wish. Trip leader Dan Frederick currently has for sale, at $15.00 each, twenty-two substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular 60-inch-long canvas surf rider floats like the floats you use to ride the waves at the Gulf of Mexico. If you think you are likely to want to purchase one of these floats from Dan on July 23, please advise him before July 23 so that he is sure to bring enough floats to meet the demand. Email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205-631-4680. Please pay on July 23 either with exact change or a check made out to SEO. First come, first served.

We regret that at this time we have been unable to find a source where we can buy more of the 72-inch canvas-covered floats.

Also please bring a picnic lunch with you from home. Please do not make 20-30 people wait while you take time to buy lunch or have your lunch prepared after you arrive at the meeting place at 8:45 a.m.

You are required to carry your flotation devices deflated for the walk in and out from the pool. Dan Frederick will bring a float pump to pump up floats at the edge of the pool when we get there and deflate the floats before we hike back up the hill.

After our swim and float, we’ll walk 7/10 of a mile back to the cars and then for those who would like, they may go for showers and an optional dinner. Hot showers are available for $2.00 per person in the air-conditioned bathrooms at the park campground before dinner. Please bring shower things and a change of clothes if you wish to clean up and change for dinner. If you would like to shower and change clothes and then drive straight home with out going to dinner with the group, you may do so. Also if you want to just change into dry clothes with no shower and then drive directly home, you may change with no charge in the restrooms by the Country Store.

Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s Restaurant Trussville. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m., or you may meet the group at 10:30 a.m. in the lobby of the DeSoto Park Lodge where we will stop to use the restrooms before we begin the short drive from there to the start point of our walk. Please email me at seoutings@bellsouth.net if you would like me to email to you driving directions to the Lodge.

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

June 2022 Activities

JUNE 18, SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Waterfall Walk, Stream Wade and Long Swims

Where: South Caney Creek in the Bankhead National Forest

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Details: Join us for hikes to two beautiful waterfalls on South Caney Creek. We’ll swim at both of the falls. These falls are exceptionally lovely. We’ll walk through the woods to one waterfall, stop, have lunch overlooking the waterfall and swim there and get underneath the waterfall if you wish. Then we’ll wade for about a mile IN the creek to a second, larger waterfall where we’ll swim and stand under the waterfall again if you like. Then we’ll walk from that second waterfall through the woods back to the cars.

As you can see from the photos, you are assured of staying cool when you swim in the two stream pools, stand or lie down under one or both of the waterfalls and wade in South Caney Creek! Twenty-two people participated in this very popular outing in July, 2017.

This outing is rated moderately strenuous because the walks through the woods from the cars to the first waterfall we’ll see and from the second waterfall back to the cars are completely off trail through the woods and there are some short, steep hills to climb up and go down along the way.

If you think that you may want to come home before the group outing is completed, please don’t come on this outing. In order to prevent traffic congestion at the usual public trail head, our vehicles will be parked at a remote location during the entire outing. Outing participants will probably not be able to walk unguided back to their cars before the outing is completed. The walk through the woods portion is completely off trail.

For the hikes through the woods we recommend that you wear long pants. This will reduce your contact with ticks and chiggers and prevent your legs from being scratched. You may wear hiking boots or sturdy water or wading shoes for the in-woods walks. We strongly recommend that you bring two sturdy hiking poles for wading in the creek. Using poles as you walk in the stream will substantially reduce the chance of your falling!

For the creek wade portion of this trip please wear old shorts or a swim suit and sturdy footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty. Old sneakers work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, loose slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not acceptable! Also bring a towel along with your picnic lunch and water.

After the outing we are planning to go to a restaurant for an optional dinner. If you would like to have dinner with us at the restaurant and if you would like to wash up and change clothes for dinner, we suggest that you bring soap, a washcloth, towel and a complete change of clothes with you to be kept in the car during the hike. After the outing is completed, you can wash up and change clothes in the spacious restrooms at the restaurant in Double Springs.

Well-behaved, properly-supervised children age 7 and over welcome. Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Floor and Décor Store on Green Springs Highway in Homewood. We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m. or you may meet the group at 10:30 a.m. at Jacks in Double Springs.

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

JUNE 25, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Locust Fork River from Taylor’s Ford through Cornelius Falls in Blount County near Royal, AL

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Please bring a friend or several if you wish. Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Cleveland Chevron. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

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

May 2022 Activitites

MAY 1, SUNDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Sunday Mountain Laurel Walk, Dunnavant Valley Greenway Walking Trail (DVGWT)

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Details: The trail winds along a bubbling stream, Yellow Leaf Creek, overhung with majestic American beech, oak, and hickory trees. The stream rapidly expands to 15-feet wide before the end of 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 1 Dan Frederick will scout Option A to ascertain whether the waterfall is likely to be running or not on May 1. 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 picnic lunch and water with you.

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

Please meet at 1:45 p.m. in the DVGWT trail head parking lot on Shelby County Highway 41. We plan to depart from there at 2:00 p.m.

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680

MAY 7, SATURDAY, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings River Ramble

Barton’s Beach and Perry Lakes Park near Marion in Perry County, Alabama

Details: Barton’s Beach. The area is an extensive sand and gravel beach on the Lower Cahaba River in Perry County near Marion, Alabama. The river floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood forests, oxbow lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars there.

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 canopy observation tower allows for an exciting view of the forest and oxbow swamps.

Hikes at Barton’s Beach and Perry Lakes Park are easy 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.

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and older welcome.

Since the trails in the park may be muddy, we recommend that you bring a change of clothes with you in the car, especially a change of footwear and pants.

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

MAY 11, WEDNESDAY, Meet 9:00 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Weekday Hike: 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 fourth, moderately easy approximately 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 will allow for motorized access.

The river splits 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; 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 May 11 will include walking on several trails. The park’s trails offer a nice blend of forest and creek and river 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 five miles without complaining are welcome to participate in this trip.

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.

Admission to the park is free.

Information and Trip Leader: Francis Rushton, 205-290-5557

MAY 14, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Picnic Lunch and Moderate Dayhike

Where: Paul Grist State Park near Selma, Alabama

Details: Paul Grist State Park is one of the state’s most uncrowded, yet scenic state parks containing hills, forests, fields and a large, beautiful, tree-lined lake.

Prior to the dayhike we will get together at the smaller pavilion right near the Park Office to eat our picnic lunches. Please bring exact change $3 per person ($2 for children age 2-6 and seniors age 62 and older) park admission, your picnic lunch and a beverage for yourself.

Dayhike Details: Hike rated moderate. There are only a few ups and downs. Total hiking distance is approximately 5.5 miles. We plan to walk all the way around the lake and then also walk on some additional trails in the park to make the drive time down and back worthwhile.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age nine and over able to walk 6 miles without complaining are welcome.

Please bring water and your picnic lunch and wear sturdy footwear.

Optional group restaurant dinner after the hike. Reservations not required for this outing.

Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, phone 205-631-4680 or email seoutings@bellsouth.net.

MAY 21, SATURDAY, 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Cahaba Lily Walk, Hargrove Shoals along the Cahaba River in Bibb County

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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.

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 stability when wading in the river.

Please meet at 9:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

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

MAY 24, TUESDAY, 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

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Details: Please come with us on a TUESDAY 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.

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 Tuesday, May 24 event, Southeastern Outings has also scheduled a prior, additional Cahaba Lily walk to this area on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

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 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 seoutings@bellsouth.net

MAY 28, SATURDAY, Picnic at 7:30 p.m. Concert begins at 8:00 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

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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. The musical compositions to be played on this Saturday evening program will be announced at a later date.

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 7:30 p.m. Concert itself begins at 8:00 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.