Pavement Ends: Take a hike

One of the great things about spring is the explosion of colorful wildflowers that can be found in natural areas throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

This has been a wild year so far, with record warmth in February followed by a hard freeze in mid-March. The cold snap made a mockery of all of the trees and flowers that dared to bloom several weeks early. However, as I write this, spring seems to be making a quick recovery, and this year should hopefully be as colorful as any other.

Here is a roundup of 10 scenic destinations that should offer a bountiful selection of wildflowers. Some of these places are easy to reach, while others will require more of an adventure.

MISSOURI

Royal Gorge

Headline Bold:Dutchman's britches are shown at Cedar Wonders Natural Arch.

Located next to Highway 21 south of Arcadia, Royal Gorge has long been a popular spot for pulling over and taking a quick look at the shut-ins below. In recent years, the Missouri Department of Conservation has constructed a 2-mile loop trail that offers panoramic views of the gorge from above. The trail also passes near hilltop glades featuring a variety of wildflowers. I've found fire pink here, although the name is confusing since these star-shaped flowers are actually bright red.

Directions: Take Highway 72 west through Patton and Fredericktown to Arcadia. After crossing the viaduct at Arcadia, make two right turns to reach Highway 21 South. Drive 5.6 miles and look for the Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area parking lot on the right. It's a bit tricky to find, but the Royal Gorge Trail begins on the opposite side of the highway.

Seventy-Six Conservation Area

At one time, Seventy-Six was a bustling river town with a mysterious name. Today the townsite is a conservation area that offers something during every season: in winter for the armadillos, in spring for the wildflowers, in summer for the Mississippi River access, and in fall for the colorful foliage. The main hiking trail, a 3-mile loop called the Wilkinson Trail, leads to numerous patches of purple trillium.

Directions: Take I-55 north to the Fruitland exit (No. 105). Then turn right and take US 61 north through Fruitland to the turnoff for Route C. Turn right and follow Route C as it snakes through Pocahontas, New

Headline Bold:The view from the Apple Creek Conservation Area.

Wells, Altenburg, Frohna and Brazeau. At Brazeau, turn right on Route D (look for the conservation area sign). Follow Route D to where the pavement ends and continue straight ahead on Perry County Road 437. Just after crossing the creek on a low-water bridge, turn left at the parking lot with the "Hiking Trail" sign.

Apple Creek Conservation Area

Many people think of Apple Creek as "that place with the shooting range," but this conservation area also boasts a 5-mile multi-use trail. Passing through woods and open fields, the trail is a good place to find wildflowers such as the blue-eyed Mary.

Directions: Take Interstate 55 to the Fruitland exit (No. 105). Turn right on US 61 and continue north 3 miles to the turnoff for Route C. Turn right and take Route C north for 6 miles to New Wells. Turn right to stay on Route C, then turn right on Route CC. After 1 mile, turn right on County Road 525. Go 1.2 miles and turn left at the turnoff marked "HORSE TRAILER PARKING." Drive past the equestrian parking area and continue on the access road (making a right turn) until the road ends at the parking lot and gate.

Maintz Wildlife Preserve

Headline Bold:Wildflowers are shown along a hiking trail at Ball Mill Resurgence.

In the summer, this conservation area near Oak Ridge features sprawling fields of photogenic sunflowers, planted to provide food for wildlife. But even during the rest of the year Maintz offers plenty of surprises, including the large patches of wild sweet Williams (blue phlox) to be found in the woods near Parking Lot No. 4. If you're lucky you might stumble across morel mushrooms.

Take Highway 72 through Jackson toward Millersville. Just before reaching Millersville, turn right on Route B. After 2 miles, turn left on Route BB near the water tower. Go 1 mile and look for County Road 471 on the right. Follow CR 471, a gravel road, north for 1.3 miles and look for the second parking area on the left.

Ball Mill Resurgence

Perry County is filled with sinkholes, but one of the more interesting sinks is Ball Mill Resurgence. During heavy rain, this sinkhole operates in reverse as a spring. The hiking trail is lined with wildflowers during the spring, especially wild sweet Williams. In 2016, additional acreage around Ball Mill was opened to the public as "Blue Spring Branch Conservation Area."

Directions: Take I-55 north to the Perryville exit (No. 129). Turn right and take Highway 51 to the stoplight at US 61. Turn left on US 61, go north 1 mile, and turn right on Route V. Follow Route V until the highway ends at a fork. Take the right fork (County Road 916) and continue 1.5 miles to the Ball Mill Resurgence parking area on the left.

Headline Bold:Pale purple coneflowers are shown at the Cave Creek Glade in Southern Illinois.

ILLINOIS

Lusk Creek Bridge

Virginia bluebells are some of the most striking spring wildflowers around. These bell-shaped blue and purple flowers can be found in the moist bottomlands along creeks, and often appear in large patches providing excellent photo opportunities. A few years ago in mid-April, I found a sizeable patch along Eddyville Road, a blacktop road between Eddyville and Golconda. The road crosses Lusk Creek on a steel bridge and the bluebells can be found in the bottoms to the north of the bridge.

Directions: Take Highway 146 east to Vienna. Just past the I-24 interchange at Vienna, turn left on Highway 147. Follow this road until it meets Highway 145 and then turn left. Drive to Eddyville and turn right on Eddyville Road (your GPS may label it "County Highway 5"). Follow this road for 3 miles to the bridge and then park in the pullout on the right immediately after the bridge. Carefully walk back across the bridge and look for the bluebells in the woods on the north side of the road.

Little Grand Canyon

Headline Bold:A hillside is shown at Cave Creek Glade in Southern Illinois.

This deep canyon northwest of Alto Pass is best known for its challenging loop trail. To enter the canyon, the trail descends a narrow chute using a series of footholds that have been carved into the rock. Although the sheer rock walls are the most impressive sight, Little Grand Canyon also offers a variety of wildflowers, including isolated patches of bluebells.

Directions: Take Highway 3 north to Ware and turn right on Highway 146. Then turn left on Highway 127 and go 16 miles north. Look for the turnoff for Etherton Road on the left. Continue on Etherton Road as it turns into Poplar Ridge Road and then Hickory Ridge Road. The turnoff for Little Grand Canyon Road will be on the right at a sharp curve. The parking area is just down this road. It's easy to get lost on the roads in this areas, so be sure to bring a good road map or GPS device.

Giant City State Park

One of the hiking trails at Giant City is called the Trillium Trail after the purple and white trillium that bloom during the spring. The state park brochure for this trail reports that up to 20 different blooming plants can be found from the end of March to mid-May, including pink wild geranium, purple larkspur, white trout lily, and yellow celandine poppy.

Directions: Take Highway 146 east to Anna. After passing through Anna, turn left on US 51. Follow the highway north for 11 miles and turn right on Makanda Road. Follow the signs for the park, curving through Makanda and then veering right to enter the park. The parking lot for the Trillium Trail is on the right immediately after entering the park. If the lot is full, you can park at Shelter No. 1 and take a shortcut to reach the trail.

Headline Bold:A spot along Trillium Trail is shown at Giant City State Park.

Cave Creek Glade

This small nature preserve protects a steep hillside glade that overlooks US Highway 45 south of Vienna. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources describes this spot as "one of the best limestone glades in southern Illinois." In early summer, the hillside erupts into a display of pale purple coneflowers.

Directions: Take Highway 146 east to Vienna. Turn right (south) at the four-way stop with US 45. Drive 4 miles south and look for the bridge over Cave Creek. Slow down while crossing the bridge and turn right on a hidden driveway at the end of the guardrail. This drive leads to a parking area. From here, carefully walk back across the bridge (the highway is busy) and look for the nature preserve sign and faint trail on the right.

Cedar Wonders Natural Arch

The Shawnee National Forest northeast of Vienna features a freestanding natural arch dubbed by local hikers as "Cedar Wonders Natural Arch." Although it only has a span of maybe 9 feet, this arch vaguely resembles the famous Delicate Arch in Utah. Nearby side canyons include at least two waterfalls plus a selection of wildflowers. Here I've found Dutchman's breeches, white flowers that look like upside-down trousers.

Headline Bold:Virginia bluebells are shown near Lusk Creek Bridge in Southern Illinois.

Directions: Follow Highway 146 east to Vienna. Just past the I-24 interchange at Vienna, turn left on Highway 147. Go 6.4 miles and turn left on Gilead Church Road. After 1 mile, veer right on Gum Springs Road. Follow this paved road 1.6 miles to a bridge. Just past the bridge, find the parking area on the left. The River-to-River Trail follows a circuitous route westward toward the arch, although an unmarked trail provides a shortcut. The arch is located at GPS coordinates 37.50440, -88.78140.