Come explore the wilder side of Helena.  Hike with SEO on a lovely creekside trail in Helena in Shelby County.  Total hiking distance is less than four miles.  Hike rated moderately easy.  We will be walking briefly off trail and walking up some hills when the trail routes us away from the creek.  Well-behaved, properly supervised children age eight and up welcome. 

Depart 2:00 p.m. from the parking lot for the Helena City Park on AL Highway 261 in Helena.  Take I-65 to Exit #247, the Shelby County Route 17, Valleydale Road exit.  Go to end of ramp and turn right regardless of whether you come from the south or the north.  Take Co. 17, which changes from Co. Route 17 to AL 261, all the way into Helena.  You will cross one railroad and then drive over a bridge with a dam and waterfall on the left.  Immediately past the bridge, turn sharply back to the right just before you cross a second railroad and then drive into the parking lot for a city park right on the shore of the creek.  Distances on Valleydale Road, (Shelby County Route 17) and then Alabama Route 261 from I-65 exit number 247 to driveway into Helena Park parking lot are 5.5 miles from bottom end of southbound ramp and 5.9 miles from bottom end of northbound ramp.

Info: Teresa Smotherman, 205-337-5878 cell

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 330 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.