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| Twin Falls on the Left (Marquette Canyon) formerly known as Curtis Canyon |
The Starved Rock Walker's Club was scheduled to go to a Nature Preserve today. We have a few Nature Preserves to choose from and we only go a couple times a year, only in early Spring and Winter. There are no trails and no one removes dead trees or fixes up the place. You also will not find any boardwalks or stairways. The plants will be growing taller than we are soon. The areas will soon be overgrown with multifloral roses and itch weed. The ticks are also plentiful in the preserves. Some walkers today went to St. Louis Canyon. There were 20 hikers that went to the Preserve.
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| 20 hikers went to the Nature Preserve |
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| Ron wore his fancy 2 pound boot coveralls. Hopefully they will keep his feet dry. |
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| All strapped on and ready to go. |
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| Dutchman's Breeches are everywhere. (I took lots of photos of them.) |
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| Dutchmans, by a mossy tree |
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| A double May Apple. You can even see the apple in the center of the two umbrellas. This will turn into a white flower and then back to an apple. |
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| Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill, there is a place called Twin Falls. This photo is the Falls on the Left. This canyon is called Marquette (formerly Curtis Canyon) |
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| View from behind Twin Falls Left, waterfall |
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| Toothwort was everywhere |
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| Rock formations were everywhere. |
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| Rock formations with foliage (something you don't see at Starved Rock anymore) |
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| Nodding White Trillium. If it was a sunny day these gorgeous flowers would be blooming. |
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| We walked in the stream most of the way. |
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| The things you see when you are looking |
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| Squirrel Corn was also peeking out, not many, but it was there. |
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| Blue Cohash just coming up. In the fall the flowers will have little blue beads |
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| Someone before us places this scull on a branch |
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| Another cool rock formation (better in person) |
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| In a few days Virginia Bluebells will be spectacular |
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| Yellow Bell Wort was plentiful |
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Marquette Canyon Waterfall from a distance. The deck at the top of the waterfall is on Grand Bear Property.
From an old guide book from 1974 is the following: Marquette Canyon-(formerly Curtis Canyon) Renamed to honor the Jesuit missionary, Father Jacques Marquette (1637-1675), co-discoverer of the "Illinois Country" and missionary to the Illinois Indians in 1675 |
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| A closer view of the Marquette Canyon |
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| White Trillium |
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| There were a few Fiddlehead Ferns |
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| Fiddlehead ferns |
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| This picture shows Joann just loving hiking in the rain |
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| More Dutchman's Breeches |
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| I am looking over the edge of Twin Falls to the Left |
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| This is the less impressive Twin Falls on the right. If you would follow this stream, you would come to Jolliet Canyon (formerly Hitt Canyon). Renamed to honor the French explorer Louis Jolliet (1645-1700). Discoverer of the "Illinois Country" in 1673. This description also came from a guide book dated 1974 |
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| False Rue Anemone |
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| Found this burl on the way back up the hill to our cars. |
I will leave you with this: God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used any to say Thank You?
