Brierfield Ironworks State Historical Park, Piper II Trail and Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge

Details: Please join friendly Southeastern Outings people on three moderate, enjoyable walks to three different locations relatively near to one another in Bibb County about 20 minutes out of Montevallo.

Brierfield Ironworks State Historical Park- The Brierfield Furnace site was developed in 1861 by Caswell Campbell Huckabee, a Greensboro planter, and Jonathan Newton Smith, a Bibb County planter, on land purchased from Jesse Mahan near the Little Cahaba River, a tributary of the Cahaba River. The endeavor was initially known as the Bibb County Iron Company, with Huckabee providing most of the capital and slave labor for construction. Richard Fell was employed to build a 36-foot (11 m) high stone blast furnace and, in 1862, a rolling mill. The company produced cast iron initially, but soon changed over to the more lucrative production of wrought iron. The iron was used to produce farm implements.

          In the years following the closure the site lay abandoned. During the World War II era thousands of bricks were scavenged from the site. In 1976 the Bibb County Commission, at the urging of the Bibb County Historical Society, created a park containing 45 acres. This initial effort has evolved over the years into what is now the Brierfield Ironworks State Historical Park.

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

https://goo.gl/photos/r7Lz8fFB38QY35gw7

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

          Please bring your picnic lunch and something to drink with you.  We’ll eat our picnic lunches at the picnic tables at Brierfield State Historical Park.

Piper II Trail-2.5 mile out-and-back trail that runs through the Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge.  The trail follows an old railroad route that served the old Piper Mine #2.  The walk offers scenic views of the river and is an easy walk along a wide gravel path.  There is a gravel parking lot and information kiosk at the start of this trail. The Piper II is named for the old Piper Mine #2. The trail is well maintained and is mostly easy walking. The beginning is a switch-back downhill and has hand rails; but the return hike is uphill. This part does not last long and it evens out into a nice walking path through the pines. It is a lovely hike.  Along the way there are several benches and interpretive signs about the local wildlife. A wooden platform looks out over the Cahaba River.  We are likely to see some wildflowers along the Piper II trail.

          Please note that this one section of our outing this Saturday will be exploratory.  We have not previously scouted the entire length of the Piper Trail.  That being said, Dan Frederick has walked the first part of that trail some years ago, and we do not anticipate any problems hiking on it this coming Saturday.

Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge Road- This is a beautiful and exemplary piece of Alabama forest. The Cahaba River runs right through the middle and provides opportunities for kayaking/canoeing, fishing, hiking and wildlife observation. This is a very quiet and peaceful place.  We will be walking along a wide, gravel road which is right along the side of the river bank.  The views are absolutely breathtaking.  We will definitely see numbers of blooming wildflowers on this portion of our hike.

          The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge is one of nation’s newest National Wildlife Refuges, the 540th in fact. It was established September 25, 2002 for the purpose of protecting and managing a unique section of the Cahaba River and land adjacent to it.

           The Cahaba River itself stretches for almost 200 miles and is Alabama’s longest free-flowing stream. The river currently supports 64 rare and imperiled plant and animal species, 13 of which are found nowhere else in the world. The river has more fish species at 131 than any other river its size in North America. Over seven miles of the Cahaba 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. There is even an annual Cahaba lily festival that draws thousands of visitors to the area the last Saturday in May.  For your information Southeastern Outings has scheduled a group Cahaba Lily walk to this area on Saturday, May 13, 2017.

          We are very pleased and grateful to Mary Alice Thurman, an SEO member very knowledgeable about and skilled in identifying native wildflowers.  Mary Alice will be our resource person pointing out and identifying wildflowers as we come upon them on this part of our outing.

Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 7 and older welcome.

          Depart for the hikes at 9:00 p.m. from the McDonald’s Galleria parking lot.

Info. on the historical hike: Randall Adkins, 205/637-0942                       

Info. on the Wildflower Walk: Acyenith Alexander, 205/529-2253 (not after 8:30 p.m., please!) or Acyenith@charter.net.

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE McDonald’s Galleria-1731 Montgomery Highway, Hoover, AL 35244. Parking lot behind the McDonald’s Restaurant across U.S. 31 from the main entrance to the Riverchase Galleria Shopping Mall.

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 360 members.  We scheduled eighty-eight events during calendar year 2016 for an average of 7 fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.  Twenty  people on average have participated in each outing since January 1, 2017. 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 several of our outings.   Thank you.