Southeastern Outings Creekwade in Quillan Creek, Sipsey Wilderness, Bankhead National Forest

Please note that the date for the Southeastern Outings Quillan Creek Wade in the Sipsey Wilderness originally scheduled for Saturday, May 23 has been changed to Saturday, May 16.

You are invited to participate in a highly scenic creekwade in Quillan Creek in the Sipsey Wilderness of the Bankhead National Forest on Saturday, May 16.  This outing will be exciting, scenic and lots of fun!  Those who participated in this outing in years past found it to be one of the most beautiful natural areas we have ever seen anywhere!  There are numerous (about seventeen) beautiful, small falls in Quillan and various side creeks.  We can actually walk up and right through three extensive, gently sloping cascades easily.  Quillan Creek is located in a heavily-forested area with hemlock trees and high cliff-laden banks alongside.

Most of the hike is off trail.  Participants on this hike must: be able and willing to walk at least 4 ½ miles off trail over rugged terrain including wading 2 miles in a creek which is sometimes knee deep, wear hiking boots and long pants to hike to and from the creek, and bring and wear shorts or swim suits and wading shoes for the creek wade.  Sturdy foot protection is required for wading in Quillan Creek.  Old sneakers work fine for the wading portion of the trip, but please no bare feet, flimsy beach shoes, flip flops or loose slip-ons!  Please don’t come if you are unwilling to get wet!  Also please do bring a large plastic bag with twist tie or Ziploc 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.  Hiking poles are strongly recommended to provide additional stability when wading in the creek!

Please bring picnic lunch, drink, and daypack.  A change of clothes (dry underwear also advised) to be left in the car is also advisable.  Rated moderately strenuous due to the entire hike being off trail, some elevation gain, and the need to walk in the creek a good portion of the time.  We expect to finish hiking about 4:30 p.m.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 10 and over welcome.  Optional dinner after.  Showers available for $2.00 per person before dinner.  If you would like to shower and/or have dinner with us at the restaurant, please bring a change of clothes for dinner, your shower things and $2 exact change.

Please come with us May 16 and help count waterfalls. 

Reservations Required: If you wish to participate in this outing, you are required to email your reservation to seoutings@bellsouth.net or call Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680 by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.  When you contact Dan, please be sure you leave either your phone number or email address.  This outing is limited to TEN people in order to comply with U.S. Forest Service regulations. 

On Thursday, May 14 the hike leader will advise meeting time and place to those who have signed up for this trip. 

If you make a reservation with Dan to come on this trip and then for any reason decide later to not come on this outing, please telephone Dan, 205-631-4680 right away.  If we have 10 people signed up on the day of the outing and say, we have two people on the waiting list and then two people who signed up don’t show up for the hike, those two no-show people have in effect deprived the two on the waiting list from participating.  Please don’t be a no-show.  If you aren’t coming after making a reservation, please call Dan.

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

DESCRIPTION OF SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS

Do you wish you had friends who share your active lifestyle and enjoyment of outdoor activities?  Then become active with Southeastern Outings (SEO), a nonprofit organization committed and created to serve people who enjoy being active in the outdoors.  The organization plans, organizes and leads outings such as dayhikes, easy kayak and canoe trips, stream and waterfall walks, bicycle rides, lake events and other fun activities to beautiful sites in our natural environment.  From time to time we also sponsor potluck suppers and other socials.  All events and activities of the group are open to the public.  Participating in SEO activities is a splendid, simple way to make congenial new friends who enjoy the outdoors.

NO DOGS OR SMOKING ALLOWED, PLEASE, ON ANY SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS EVENTS.

The organization currently has over 400 members.  We scheduled ninety-two events during calendar year 2014 for an average of 8 fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.  Thirty  people, on average, have participated in each outing during the first two months of 2015. SEO does not charge for participation in any of its outings.  You do not have to be a member to participate in SEO activities.  Dues are only $10.  Please contact Dan Frederick, President, 205-631-4680, or seoutings@bellsouth.net for more information and to obtain three free monthly newsletters with membership application and a complete description of all our outdoor events. Southeastern Outings now has a website.  Just go to seoutings.org to find announcements of all our upcoming outings scheduled plus some brief, general information about Southeastern Outings, a membership application and 1500 lovely photographs from several of our outings. Thank you.