Southeastern Outings Glorious Swim at the bottom of DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park

We regret that we have had to cancel the Southeastern Outings river float on the Locust Fork River scheduled for this coming Saturday, August 17.  The water level in the river is too low to comfortably undertake this outing.  However, I and probably many of you receiving this notice want desperately to do something in the outdoors this weekend which enables us to get wet in cool water.

Therefore we have decided to substitute a swimming outing in the huge pool at the bottom of DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park instead of our originally–planned river float.

Details of the swimming outing at the bottom of DeSoto Falls are in the announcement below.

Please note that the meeting time and place have been changed.  If you want to come with us to swim in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, which we hope a great many of you do, please arrive at the parking lot for the Applebee’s Restaurant in Trussville at 8:45 a.m. this coming Saturday.  We plan to depart from there at 9:00 a.m.

Strenuous walk through the woods and down a short, but very steep hill in DeSoto State Park to the huge pool which many of you have seen from above when at 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.  You can also walk and play in the section of the river that flows out from the pool.  It takes only 20 minutes to walk from where we’ll park our cars to the water. All but the last 75 feet or so is simple walking on fairly level ground. BUT the last 75 feet are quite strenuous, requiring some rock, root and rope climbing. So we are rating the hiking portion of this outing as strenuous.  Please note that we will use a thick, very sturdy rope at two places to go down to the waterfall and at the same two places going up, also.  Your feet will always be on the ground.  You will not be dangling from a rope without having your feet on the ground.  But if you are queasy about this aspect of the walk in and out, please do not come on this trip.

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.

Note-To view photos of what we will see on this trip, please click on this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dipvsmHzklJdXGXB3

Please be sure to click on the link and view the photographs.

After our swim and float, we’ll walk less than one mile back to the cars and then go for showers and an optional dinner.

Please bring picnic lunch, water, swimsuit, river shoes and any kind of a flotation device you wish.  See float note below for information about acquiring floats. You are required to carry your flotation devices deflated for the walk in and out from the pool.  Dan Frederick will bring his float pump to pump up and deflate floats at the edge of the pool when we get there.

Hot showers for $2.00 per person are available before dinner.  Please bring shower things and change of clothes if you wish to clean up and change for dinner.  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

Float Note

Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride the waves at the Gulf work well on this outing.  Trip leader Dan Frederick has floats 60 inches long for $12 each for sale ONLY at the start of outings Dan attends.  We regret that we are no longer able to find the longer, 72-inch floats for sale anywhere.  Please pay either with exact change or a check made out to SEO.  First come, first served.

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE

Applebee’s Restaurant Trussville (coming from Birmingham)—4711 Norrell Drive, Trussville, AL 35173.  Take I-59 North to Exit #141 (Chalkville Mountain Road Exit).  Exit I-59 at Exit #141.  Drive to traffic light at far end of the I-59 interstate exit ramp.  This is at intersection of the exit ramp and Chalkville Mountain Road. Turn right at the traffic light at the far end of exit ramp.  Drive to first stoplight you come to on Chalkville Mountain Road and turn left.  Applebee’s Restaurant is on Norrell Drive directly behind the McDonald’s (currently under renovation construction) which faces Chalkville Mountain Road.

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 250 members.  We scheduled eighty-two events during calendar year 2018 for an average of 7 fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.  Twenty-two people on average have participated in each hike during the first four months of 2019.

SEO does not charge for participation in any of its outings.  You do not have to be a member to participate in one or two 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 most of our outings.

Thank you.