Spring Ephemerals and other Early Plants.. Little Grand Canyon is a 60-foot deep glacial gorge. The area is consistently full of early spring wildflowers such as trillium and marsh marigolds. Many of the plants emerge for only a couple of months and the flowers for as little as a day. Spring flowers to look for are the blue flag iris, hepatica, spring cress, and toothwort. The hike has steep terrain and can be strenuous.

Matt Dykstra is the Field Manager for Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. He has a degree from University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana.