APRIL 18, THURSDAY, please meet 9:30 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Leisurely Weekday Wildflower Walk in a Forest
Preserve in Homewood
Where: Homewood Forest Preserve
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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 admiring spring
wildflowers with us in the lower preserve.
The walking pace for this hike will be moderately
easy. We’ll stop often to catch our
breath and note views, trees, birdsongs and the trail and woods around us.
Please
meet 9:30 a.m. in
the church parking lot on South Lakeshore Drive in Homewood. We plan
to depart from there at 9:45 a.m.
Information and trip leader: Christine
Heckemeyer, 205-979-5730
APRIL 20, 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 children
age 2-6 and 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
APRIL 27, SATURDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Dayhike
Where: Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve, Springville, Alabama
Details: This will be Southeastern Outings’
very first 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 of its 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 expect to be hiking on the
Slab Creek and Fallen Oak Trails. Total
hike distance is about 3.7 miles.
Admission to the park is
free. Please bring your picnic lunch
and beverage with you. Carefully
supervised, well-behaved children age 7 and over welcome. 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.
APRIL 28, SUNDAY, Meet 1:45 p.m.
Southeastern Outings Sunday Afternoon Mountain Laurel Walk, Dunnavant
Valley Greenway Walking Trail (DVGWT)
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
April 27 Dan Frederick will scout Option A to ascertain whether the waterfall
is likely to be running or not on April 27.
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 every
other time in the past!
Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Locust Fork River
Details: A fun Southeastern Outings kayak and canoe trip on
Section 1 of the Locust Fork River in Blount County. This stretch, which several of us have canoed many times
previously, is fairly easy and without classified rapids. Along the river we’ll see lots of
wildflowers and stop to investigate islands and beaches.
Novice canoeists
are welcome and may come on this trip, but each one must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
Please
note that for this trip you may rent one person sit-upon plastic kayaks and
paddles for $30 each at the put-in from River Beach Outfitters. Rental fees include shuttle service. Also, the outfitter will charge a $15 fee
for all private boats, be they canoes or kayaks, used on this
outing. If you wish to rent a kayak
from the outfitter, please notify Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone
205/631-4680 BEFORE May 4 to reserve your boat.
If you want to come on the May 4 SEO kayak and canoe
trip AND you are renting a boat from the outfitter at the site of the trip, in
this instance you are required to call or contact ONLY the trip leader and
notify him that you are coming! Dan will
inform the outfitter how many rental kayaks he will need to provide to SEO
people for this trip.
Please note that the outfitter has only 70 one-person
kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their solo kayaks are reserved for
May 4, there will be no more kayaks available to rent!
This
outfitter does not have canoes to
rent. However, Dan Frederick’s
daughter, Aree, currently has canoes which she is offering to rent to people
who want to canoe on this trip and who do not have their own canoes. The charge for renting a canoe from Aree is
$50 per boat. Southeastern Outings will
pay the $15 per boat shuttle service fee for people renting canoes from
Aree. Again, please notify Dan
Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone
205/631-4680 BEFORE May 4 to request a rental canoe if that is what you
want. We will do our best to fulfill
your request.
Please do NOT just show up at the meeting place on
May 4 without making an advance reservation with Dan Frederick!! And 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!!
Life
jackets are required and must be worn.
You are responsible for finding your own boat. Bring your own, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent from
the outfitters listed.
Please
bring with you 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 canoe if you
don’t already have rope attached to your own canoe. If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.
For more
essential information about this trip, please see Note for Kayak and Canoe
Trips at the end of this calendar.
Please
meet at 9:45 a.m. at the
Cleveland Chevron Service Station. We
plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.
Reservations Required: You are required to contact Dan
Frederick by email southeasternoutings@gmail.com or call 205/631-4680 if you
plan to come on this kayak and canoe trip.
Please advise your name, telephone number, skill level, whether you are
bringing a canoe or kayak and whether you need a paddling partner. You may leave a message on Dan’s answering
machine if you wish.
Info. and Trip Leader: If you have further questions,
please contact Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or call
205/631-4680.
MAY 11, SATURDAY, please meet 8:00 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip on the Elk River near Elkmont,
Alabama
Details: 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.
Please
note that for this trip you may rent one person sit-in plastic kayaks and
paddles for $20 per person or you may rent two-person canoes also for
$20 per person from Flint Creek Canoe and Kayak Rental. Please note that this outfitter currently
has NO sit-upon kayaks to rent.
If you
rent a boat from this outfitter, the outfitter will bring your rented boat to
the put in and meet you there. He 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 boat rental fee for those who rent boats from the
outfitter.
If you
wish to rent a kayak or canoe from the outfitter, please notify Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone
205/631-4680 BEFORE May 11 to reserve your boat.
If you want to come on the May 11 SEO kayak and canoe
trip AND you are renting a boat from the outfitter 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 the outfitter how many rental kayaks and canoes he will need to provide
to SEO people for this trip.
Also, the
outfitter will charge a $20 per person fee for all privately-owned
boats, be they canoes or kayaks, used on this outing.
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.
Note that
the outfitter is giving us a $5 per person discount off his regular prices if
we bring more than 5 people in our group.
We have always had many more than 5 people on our kayak and canoe
outings, so we are quoting the rates we anticipate being charged on this
outing.
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 Alabama Welcome Center a few miles
south of the Tennessee/Alabama State Line.
You will be able to change clothes and wash up there in relative comfort
if you wish.
Please
meet 8:00 a.m. at the Jacks parking lot near the Hayden/Corner Park and
Ride. We plan to depart from there at
8:15 a.m.
Reservations Required: You must call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or
email souheasternoutings@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 the notes below.
Info. and trip leader: If you have further questions,
please call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com.
MAY 16, 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 16 event, Southeastern Outings has also scheduled an additional
Cahaba Lily walk to this area on Saturday, May 18, 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 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 18,
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 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 25, 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
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.
