Southeastern Outings Canoe Trip, Dayhike and Potluck Picnic Lunch at Oak Mountain State Park

Prior to the canoeing and kayaking and hiking, boaters, hikers and other Southeastern Outings people and guests will get together at the Mallard Pavilion in the neighborhood of the Fishing Center, for a group potluck picnic. Please bring a dish of food to share with the group. You may bring a bag of potato chips, but if you do, you should bring some more substantial food to share in addition.  Please bring also $4/person ($1 seniors and children) park admission fee, a beverage for yourself and folding lawn chairs if you have them.  Southeastern Outings will furnish plates, cups, knives, forks, spoons, napkins, and ice.  Picnic preparations will begin at 11:30 a.m. We will begin eating lunch at 12:00 noon regardless of whether you are there or not!

After lunch you can enjoy boating on the lower fishing lake.  You may bring your own boat (no charge) or you may rent a canoe or kayak from the park by paying for your rental boat at the back gate to the park.  The park says they have 4 canoes and 3 or 4 sit-upon kayaks.  Rental rates are $12 for one hour and $24 for the day. First come, first served. No shuttle involved.  Share an adventure!  Bring a friend. 

We’ll launch our boats about 1:30 p.m. from a small peninsula which is at the end of the lower drive which passes by the front of the Fishing Center building.  The Fishing Center Building is just below the drive into the parking lot. 

Or you can enjoy a moderately easy afternoon hike along the shore of the upper fishing lake in the park.  Hike also departs from the Fishing Center about 1:30 p.m. 

You are welcome to participate in the boating or hiking and skip the group picnic, you are welcome to skip the boating or hiking and come just for the picnic, or, as most people did the previous two times we have sponsored this outing, you are encouraged to enjoy the outdoor exercise activities AND the picnic.

Info: Acyenith Alexander 205-529-2253 (picnic), Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net (boating) and Kerry Cooper, 205-674-991-1045 (hiking)

Note for Kayak and Canoe Kayak Trips—The kayak and canoe outing listed above is suitable for beginner/novice canoeists and kayakers, but each beginner canoeist must paddle with an experienced canoeist.  Life jackets are required and must be worn.  You are responsible for finding your own boat.  Borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent from the outfitter listed.   If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE

Mallard Pavilion, Near the Fishing Center, Lower Fishing Lake, Oak Mountain State Park-If you choose to drive to the Fishing Center area from the front, main park entrance, enter the main gate of the park. Then follow the main park road which goes through the main front gate all the way to where the road goes over a bridge across the spillway on the dam between the visible upper fishing lake which is on the right, above the dam, and the larger, lower fishing lake which is probably not visible from the spillway. Drive over the spillway and on ahead to the far end of the dam and turn left. Keep left after you see the back gatehouse and drive straight ahead into the parking lot a bit uphill from the fishing center which will be on your left nearer to the shore of the lake. If you choose to drive to the Fishing Center area from the back park entrance which is much closer to the Fishing Center and the Lower Fishing Lake than is the front park entrance, take U.S. 31, I-65, or U.S. 280 to Alabama Route 119, Cahaba Valley Road. Turn left on 119 if coming from Birmingham on to 31 or 65. Turn right on 119 if coming from Birmingham on to 280. Drive to near the traffic light at the intersection of Caldwell Mill Road and AL 119, Cahaba Valley Road. Caldwell Mill Road is County Route 14. It is signed for the county route, but there is no visible sign saying “Caldwell Mill Road”. See sign on 119 for Oak Mountain Lake where you should turn off of 119. Turn right at that sign if coming from 31 or 65. The road off 119 going up into the back entrance to the park turns off of AL 119 5.6 miles east of the I-65 exit for Cahaba Valley Road off of I-65. Turn left off of 119 if coming from 280. You’ll drive through and pay your park admission fee at the back gate entrance to the park. Also pay for boat rentals at the back entrance gate. Immediately past the gatehouse turn right and drive to the far end of the fishing lake parking lot. Look for the Mallard Pavilion through the trees slightly below the far end of the parking lot. The Pavilion is located in the grass at the edge of the trees beween the far end of the parking lot and the lake shore. We’ll be eating at the Mallard Pavilion. You’ll also see the Fishing Center Building just below the drive into the parking lot. The last time we sponsored this event, three people had difficulty finding the eleven of us who were already at the Mallard Pavilion. Please put these detailed directions in your car NOW and BE SURE TO TAKE THESE DIRECTIONS WITH YOU AND READ THEM WHEN COMING ON THIS OUTING! Don’t go to the big pavilion right behind the Fishing Center. Go to the Mallard Pavilion which is downhill from the very far end of the parking lot, as far away as you can get in the parking lot from the rear gatehouse.

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 300 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.  Twenty-nine people, on average, have participated in each outing during the first five 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.