Cahaba Lily Trip

Hi, this is Elizabeth's mom.


I have been asked to give you my first attempt at blogging as “guest blogger” since I have finally gotten out of my chair and have something to blog about.  It has become a family joke that Meme is going to go canoeing on the Cahaba and see the lilies one day.  I have been talking about this for years and finally thanks to my sweet brother and his family- I FINALLY WENT!

 Meme

My niece Caroline and I had our own canoe and my brother John and his wife Annette were in another. 

 Caroline canoeing

We went along with a small group on a short section on the Cahaba west of Montevallo, and we even got a little tutorial on the river and the Cahaba lilies from our group’s leader.   Pretty much anyone could make this short trip.  Even with our poor steering (we only rammed a few other canoes) we were able to get down the river to Hargrove Shoals for a picnic lunch and paddle back to our starting point.   

The Cahaba River goes from shoals to deep pools.  You can take a break and cool off sitting in the shallow shoals or go for a swim in the deep pools in between.  There are lots of rocks above and below the water, so yes there is a bit of canoe dragging.  But if you go with a 16 year old like I did ( ha) that’s not a problem.  But I now understand why it is important to wear some water shoes to help you get a footing on those submerged rocks as you drag your canoe across the narrow shoals.  No white water on this trip.

So if you are looking for a great outdoor activity in May or early June, I highly recommend canoeing on the Cahaba to see the lilies bloom….who knows, maybe I will get up my nerve to go on one of the night trips.  I hear that is when the lilies are most fragrant.  Would be excellent if there was a full moon!