Cedar Creek Park

Snow trilliums.

We were desperate for some spring, so on March 20 my son and I visited Cedar Creek Park to seek out snow trilliums. These tiny beauties are one of the very first spring wildflowers to bloom hereabouts.

We were there on the 19th of May last year. We parked at the Boat Launch and took the loop trail in the "Cedar Creek Gorge Interpretive Area" in a counterclockwise direction. The first half of the trail proceeds along the banks of the creek on fairly level ground. The loop back is a steady climb up the ridge above the creek, with a steep descent just before the return. We saw lots of sharp lobed hepatica as we climbed, but didn't find any snow trilliums until we reached the highest part of the ridge.  2018 had already brought us many unseasonably warm days. I guessed that the snow trilliums had been early and we were catching just the tail end of their bloom.

This year, we decided it would be far more pleasant to walk the trail in a clockwise direction, beginning with a steep ascent, followed by a snow descent down the ridge. At the top of the ridge we found nothing blooming at all. As we descended, we gradually began to see snow trillium. Closer to the bottom of the ridge, we found snow trillium blooming in earnest, often in clumps, and a few hepatica as well. So I am assuming that the bloom begins at lower elevations and gradually climbs. The top of the ridge is not at a dramatic elevation, but conditions must change enough to make a difference to the wildflowers. I took lots of pictures, because I just can't get enough of these lovely blooms! 

Where else have you found snow trilliums? Leave me a comment!

Sharp lobed hepatica.

Sharp lobed hepatica.

Sharp lobed hepatica.