Last summer I had added this hike to every day in my March 2026 phone calendar. We had hiked at Miller Nature Sanctuary in July and trail signage indicated the presence of the rare Snow Trillium, one of the few Trilliums that the photographer and I had not seen previously, and I wanted to make sure that we did not miss it blooming. Snow Trillium is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in the Ohio River Valley, sometimes even on display in late February. Its tendency to be in bloom when snow is on the ground gave it its name. We didn’t get the chance to hit the trail until past mid-month.
You enter Miller Nature Sanctuary walking along an old gravel lane.
Unbeknownst to a first time visitor, you are walking along a bluff above Rocky Fork Gorge. As the trail proceeds, the terrain on the right side begins to fall away somewhat,
and soon you hear the sound of rushing water and get your first glimpse of Rocky Fork Creek.
One gets a sense of place when you notice a variety of landscape plants that have naturalized into the setting atop the bluff:
Forsythia, Ghost Lily, Yucca, Ditch Lily, and Daffodil.
They mark the site of the weekend retreat of Eugene and Henrietta Miller, who donated their 25 acre property to the State of Ohio in 1982, to be used as a nature preserve, protecting their portion of Rocky Fork Gorge with its bluffs sinkholes, caves, grottoes, springs, and rare native plants. Another 61 acres were added to the sanctuary in 1986. The south side of the gorge was protected in 1996 with the development of the 3000 acre Highland Nature Sanctuary by the Arc of Appalachia. Together they insure that this ecological gem will be around for future generations to enjoy.
In this same area, an overlook provides views onto a small natural bridge that lies just yards away, and the stream below.
On this visit we were concentrating on the Falls Trail as that is where Snow Trillium was noted to be on our previous visit. At the start of the trail is a perfectly placed bench that overlooks the falls of a small creek.
We elected to go counterclockwise on the loop and soon were surprised to note several different spring ephemerals that were starting to bloom earlier in the season than I expected. We reasoned that it was due to being on a south facing slope that gets direct sunlight most of the day.
The first is the aptly named Spring Beauty, with its peppermint style petals and linear leaves.
The first Hepatica that we saw appeared to be just opening and was more white than I usually associate with it.
Shortly thereafter we noted our first Snow Trilliums that are pictured in the title photo and below. It is considered the smallest of the Trilliums and occurred as isolated specimens on the hillside just above the stream. To be honest they were a little past their prime with some of the flower petals looking a little spent. We suspected that this was due to the southern exposure that allowed them to bloom earlier in the season.
In this same area we also noted a healthy population of Jacob’s Ladder with many specimens about to display there brilliant blue-purple flowers. We were perhaps a few days early to enjoy their show. These thrive in streamside habitats with rich soil.
The trail lies on a ledge just above the rushing waters of Rocky Fork Creek. Across the stream we were looking onto the bluffs of Highland Nature Sanctuary. We had hiked its Barrett’s Rim Trail through this section of the gorge following a snowstorm last November – truly a memorable trek.
To our left we had the northern bluffs of the gorge, with gently sloping terrain that led down to the trail. Initially the exposed limestone was somewhat isolated or fragmented, but later became a confluent wall.
Further downstream the creek developed a more gentle flow.
Along the path we would pass large slump rocks – limestone boulders that had separated from the bluffs above and came crashing down to their resting place after the last glacial retreat over 15,000 years ago.
Slump rocks infatuate me as they are little self-contained ecosystems, hosting diverse plant populations over their rough surfaces.
Moss, Walking Fern, and Stonecrop are clustered together in the photo below.
I believe that this is seedling of Whiteflower Leafcup, which looked quite royal with its magenta stems and symmetrical leaves. As the plant matures it will lose the reddish coloration and the lobes of the leaves will become more pointed.
This lone Rue Anemone growing amongst the moss on the slump rock was striking.
Eventually the trail takes a short climb up to the base of the bluff,
where we noted the endangered Sullivantia coming out of its winter dormancy. In the heat of the summer small white flowers will appear.
Through a fissure in the bluff, a set of stairs climbs out of the gorge. Standing near the top and looking back down one has an outstanding view of the stream as well as another small natural bridge.
Near the stair top was the small sign noting the location of Snow Trillium that brought me back to the preserve. It was a small colony and unfortunately all the blooms were facing away from the trail. In these fragile habitats it is imperative that visitors remain on the trail, so we gladly accepted the best photos that we could get from the path. Snow Trillium occurs in 14 Midwestern and Upper South states but is often noted only in a few sites in each of these states.
We were now atop the bluff, walking through a mature wood with an open understory, and had episodic views down into the gorge.
One indicator of the health and maturity of this forest was the presence of the remnants of last year’s Bearcorn. They look like decomposing pine cones in the photo below. Bearcorn is a parasitic plant that gets water and nutrients from the roots of established trees of the Red Oak Family and American Beech. It is felt that they do not do significant damage to the host tree. It is a major food source for bears in the late spring, comprising 10-15% of their diet. Bearcorn is extremely sensitive to environmental damage and requires deep, rich, moist soil. It is also called Squawroot due to its use by Native Americans for childbirth and an assortment of gynecologic conditions. The plant’s lifecycle is interesting. A cream-colored, 3 to 8 inch flower spike emerges in the spring and Bumble Bees and flies pollinate the plant. Seeds are formed and the entire spike is consumed by large mammals such as bear and deer, who then disperse the seeds in their stool. The germinated seeds grow underground for 3 years, attaching to the root of its host tree, and then sends up its first flower stalk in its fourth year. Because it does not do photosynthesis, there are no leaves. The plant is considered short-lived, rarely surviving beyond 13 years, with the host tree’s defenses eventually weakening it.
Soon we completed the loop trail and doubled back over the gravel lane to our vehicle.
This hike took place on March 19th, the last day of winter, and the photographer and I celebrated the surprisingly precocious floral display that we witnessed on the forest floor.
Hepatica was in abundance and the flowers were just starting to open. They can range from white to pink to lavender. The leaves from last season are on display through the winter, and die back just as the flowers appear. The leaves of this season will appear in late spring and survive through next winter. The liver shaped leaf from last season can be noted at the bottom of the second photo. The term Hepitica arises from the Greek word for liver, hēpatikós.
Bluebells, likewise, were just about to bloom. The flower buds are a soft pink and then flowers turn a pastel blue.
Bloodroot’s leaves unfold simultaneously with the opening of its flower. If the root of the plant is cut, a red latex oozes out. Native Americans added this to animal fat to make a face paint, and also used it to dye baskets and clothes. In addition, the plant had many medicinal uses.
Harbinger of Spring is perhaps my favorite name of the spring ephemerals.
Twinleaf was another rare wildflower that we saw on this hike. Here it was just emerging from the ground, but was not long from flowering.
Rue Anemone was perhaps the star of the show, occurring throughout the gorge section of the trail.
Lastly I will close with this photo – a solitary Spring Beauty arising from the moss at the base of a massive Sycamore on the bank of the stream.
In summary, this hike over delivered. We were hoping to get our first sighting of Snow Trillium, which we did, and we would have been content with that. But we got so much more, including an abundance of many other spring ephemerals that were just starting to bloom, and allowed us to celebrate nature’s rebirth for 2026. For the next 4 weeks we will find our way onto trails through mature woodlands to take in the spectacle of these fleeting flowers, hoping to add other species to our life list. If you want to enjoy the show, use the search function on the Footpathsblog.com website and type in “Spring Ephemerals” and you will get a list of the many parks and preserves in the Ohio River Valley region that we have featured for their spring ephemeral displays.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview:
Location – 13654 Barrett Mill Rd, Bainbridge, Ohio, 71 miles from downtown Cincinnati. The road signage was difficult to see from the direction we arrived, so GPS was a Godsend.
Parking – gravel lot for 8-10 cars.
Trail Conditions – gravel and mowed grass on the entry trail. Remainder generally bare dirt with some exposed stone. Grades are mild overall. One set of steep stairs. Trails are very well signed. The Falls Loop Trail is 1.0 mile long, but with the entry lane the total is probably 1.5 miles or more.
Print Map Link – https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/natural-areas/maps/Miller_8_5x11.pdf
Facilities – none
Benches – one noted.
Picnic Tables – none.
Kids – I would suggest 6 and over.
Dogs – prohibited.
Suggested Paired Hikes – There are two additional short trails in the sanctuary, the Arch Trail, and the Tuliptree Trail. Arc of Appalachia’s Highland Nature Sanctuary is only 3 miles away and has several trails including Barrett’s Rim Trail which traverses the other side of Rocky Fork Gorge.
Links:
Thought I saw some squirrel corn leaves…
Yes. We were out hiking near the Miller Sanctuary yesterday and they are just starting to flower.