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November Activities

NOVEMBER 2, SATURDAY, please meet 10:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike, Richard Martin Trail (previously named Limestone Rail Trail), Elkmont, Alabama

Details: This trail is located in extreme North Alabama just to the west of I-65 and a few miles south of the Tennessee-Alabama border.  The hike is rated easy.  We will hike a total of 5.3 miles.  There is much lovely scenery along the path that was once a part of the Tennessee and Alabama Central Railroad.

Walk on one of Alabama’s rails-to-trails conversion routes on an old railroad right of way.  This smooth trail is wide and level.  No hills on this trail.  On this particular hike you will be walking on a scenic trail which goes through fields, near houses and through the woods.  The trail winds through wetlands with wildlife and a great variety of birds.  On the trail you will pass the site of the Civil War Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle.

Please bring your picnic lunch and drink with you.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 8 and over able to walk 6 miles without complaining are welcome.

Optional restaurant dinner afterwards in Athens, Alabama.

Please meet 10:45 a.m. at the Hayden/Corner Park and Ride.  We plan to depart from there at 11:00 a.m.

Info. and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com,  phone 205-631-4680

 

NOVEMBER 7, THURSDAY, please meet 9:30 a.m.

Southeastern Outings dayhike

Where: Double Oak Park

Details: First of all, please note that this location is NOT Oak Mountain State Park.  Double Oak Park is a new Shelby County park located on top of Double Oak Mountain and accessed from Shelby County Route 43 near Chelsea.

Double Oak Park is approximately 750 acres. Here’s a look at what you’ll find at the park:

• Hiking trails
• Mountain bike trails
• Horseback trails
• A picnic pavilion
• Restrooms with running water

This park is owned and maintained by Shelby County.

        The park is located between Dunnavant Valley Road (County Highway 41) and Bear Creek Road (County Highway 43). The expansion of the Dunnavant Valley Greenway includes Double Oak Park, which features 8-9 miles of single-track trail that combines with the double track.                                                       Besides providing an option for recreation and a place for visitors to enjoy, the park will also preserve the land from development.                                          Chad Scroggins, Shelby County, County manager, stated, “Double Oak Park is an opportunity for the Shelby County Commission to invest in an outdoor recreation park for hiking, biking, trail running, and very soon, horseback trails. The park consists of 750 acres at the tail end of the Appalachian Mountain chain in Shelby County just outside of Chelsea on County Road 43. We are excited to offer this pristine piece of the outdoors so close to residential areas and employment centers on US 280.”                                                                       

Please bring picnic lunch and water with you.                                                 Please meet 9:30 a.m. at the Shelby County Highway 43 entrance to the park.

Info. And Trip Leader: Chris Heckemeyer, 205-979-5730

NOVEMBER 9, SATURDAY, please meet 8:40 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Cave Tour and Woodland Hike

Where:  Cathedral Caverns State Park, Woodville, Alabama

Reservations Required

If you want to come on this outing, you must call trip leader Dan Frederick,

205-631-4680 before noon on Friday, November 1 so that we can abide by the Park’s group tour reservation deadline policy.  Please give Dan your name, telephone number including area code, and email address if you have one.  Cave tour admission fees for participants who register by this deadline will be compliments of Southeastern Outings.  This means that Southeastern Outings will pay your $15 cave admission charge provided that you make your reservation with Dan Frederick, trip leader, before noon on Friday, November 1.  If you try to make a reservation to come on this outing after the November 1 deadline, you will have to pay your own cave admission fee, and you risk being denied admission to the cave because the total number of people, including our group and all other people who want to come on the 11:00 a.m. tour on November 9 cannot be exceeded!

Details: Tour one of Alabama’s largest developed caves. After we arrive at the park, you can use the restrooms there.  We then are required to assemble together at 10:45 a.m. right outside the cave entrance for our tour which starts at 11:00 a.m. sharp.  The cave, which maintains a constant temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, includes a very large entrance and several beautiful formations. 

The cave tour walk with tour guide is 1.5 miles in length and takes 1.5 hours.  Following the cave tour, we will enjoy having our lunches on the park porch, and then we will hike in the park through hardwood forests on gentle slopes and through grassy meadows.

Please bring your picnic lunch and water with you.

Optional dinner in Guntersville after the outing concludes.

            Please meet 8:40 a.m. at the Cleveland Chevron, 36320 AL Highway 79, Cleveland, AL 35049.  We plan to depart from there at 8:55 a.m. 

            Remember—Reservations for this outing are required before noon on Friday, November 1!!

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, phone 205-631-4680, email southeasternoutings@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 10, SUNDAY, please meet 12:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park

Details: Enjoy a moderate 4 to 5-mile walk in the woodlands near Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon.  This is an excellent outing for introducing your friends to Southeastern Outings and for making new friends who enjoy the outdoors.  Parts of this hike may be off the color-coded trails.  There will be some ups and downs.  

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age eight and up able to walk the distance of about 4 miles without complaining and complete the hike are welcome. 

Share an adventure!  Bring a friend.

Please meet at 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. and Trip Leader: Randall Adkins, 205/719-7719

 

NOVEMBER 14, THURSDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.

Southeastern Outings Weekday hike

Where: Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, Springfield, Alabama

Details: This will be Southeastern Outings’ second ever hike in this new nature preserve.  The property is located along a beautiful, tree-canopied section of St. Clair County Highway 9 within the city limits of Springville in north St. Clair County. The property encompasses hilly, forested terrain and aquatic riparian habitat in and near Big Canoe Creek.  Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve consists of 422 acres of pristine meandering creek, lush forest, one-of-a-kind species, wildlife, stunning flora and trails of all kinds to be traveled.  Trails traverse this Alabama Forever Wild property in Springville, perfect for hiking, horseback riding, bird watching and mountain biking, paddling and a variety of other outdoor activities.

The Forever Wild Land Trust believes that this property presents a unique opportunity to serve as a focal point of sustainable regional economic and social activity while simultaneously helping to protect some of Alabama’s impressive aquatic biodiversity for generations to come.  Experience the Preserve’s biodiversity – from mountain laurel and native azalea to beech, red and sugar maple trees. Find hornbeams, black walnut, catalpa, butternut and bigleaf magnolia trees and perhaps, stands of river cane. 

The northern border spans about 2/3 mile of Big Canoe Creek, providing abundant creekside scenery and wildlife habitat. High points on the property afford views of the uppermost section of the Big Canoe Creek watershed, including beautiful, rural Canoe Creek Valley and the opposing ridges of Pine and Blount Mountains.

Take in the spectacular views of ridges, mountains and valley, or spot a rare bird soaring above.       Each sunrise seems to reveal a new perspective on nature’s many gifts found beneath the canopy’s trees or along the banks of this stunning creek that runs for 50 miles. And each sunset beckons visitors to savor the memories of the sights, sounds and the enveloping feeling of it all.  It is a true gift of nature for us all to enjoy, to experience and to be inspired.

The hike will be relatively easy.  We will be hiking on the Slab Creek Trail.  Total hike distance is about 2.6 miles. 

Admission to the park is free.  Please bring your picnic lunch and beverage with you. 

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

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, email southeasternoutings@gmail.com or telephone 205-631-4680.

 

NOVEMBER 16, SATURDAY, please meet at 8:15 a.m. 

Southeastern Outings Dayhike

Where: Corral Shelter and Pebble Bluff Native American Shelters in the Bankhead National Forest

Details: Moderate hikes to several spectacular sites in the Bankhead National Forest.  First, we’ll hike to the Corral Shelter. This is a large rock overhang which long ago served as a free barn to the owner of a stagecoach transportation owner.  He fenced off the entrance to the shelter and then put his horses and the stagecoach in the shelter each night after they had pulled the stagecoach on its various routes for the day.  Thus, they were always out of the rain overnight.  This shelter is fascinating to view and contemplate how it was once so very cleverly utilized.

Then we’ll hike from there to view two of the Pebble Area Bluff Shelters.  These are huge overhangs where Native Americans once lived and assembled for ceremonies and protection from the elements.  These shelters also served as a place where Native Americans hid out from the white men who were rounding up           Native Americans to force them to walk on the Trail of Tears from Alabama to Oklahoma.   Each shelter should have a waterfall drifting off the cliff at the top.  The beauty of each of these areas is breathtaking.  This is a trip to not be missed!

        Please bring picnic lunch and water.  Well-behaved children age ten and over able to walk over rugged terrain welcome. Optional dinner after.

        Please meet at 8:15 a.m. at the Floor and Décor Store parking lot, 230­­ Green Springs Highway in Homewood.  We plan to depart from there at 8:30 a.m.  Or you can meet the group at the Jack’s in Double Springs, 15266 U.S. Highway 278, Double Springs, AL, at 9:45 a.m.

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, phone 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com

 

NOVEMBER 23, SATURDAY, please 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 your picnic lunch and also $3 per person ($2 for seniors age 62 and older) park admission 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 your picnic lunch and drink, 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.

Info. And Trip Leader: Dan Frederick email southeasternoutings@gmail.com or telephone 205-631-4680

 

DECEMBER 1, SATURDAY, please meet 1:45 p.m.

Southeastern Outings Easy Dayhike

Where: Vulcan Trail inside the City Limits of Birmingham

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 trailhead 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 for our hikers at Jim 'N Nick's 11th Avenue Grill at Five Points South.  

Share an adventure.  Bring a friend or friends.

Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or telephone 205/631-4680