The Little Grand Canyon is a canyon located in Jackson County, Illinois. The area is well known as a haven for hibernating snakes. The area was designated a National Natural Landmark in February 1980. It is located in a remote area south of Murphysboro, IL.
Erosion carved this deep box canyon from the sandstone of the Shawnee Hills; it opens into the floodplain of the Mississippi River near Turkey Bayou. The canyon contains several seasonal and a few permanent waterfalls, some descending through dramatic cascades of sculpted sandstone. The 3.6 mile trail, marked by white diamond blazes, begins in the upland hardwood forest and descends through a steep and sometimes slippery sandstone side canyon to the lusher, damper habitat of the canyon floor. The ascent from the canyon requires a small amount of climbing at the Three Sisters waterfall. The trailhead facilities include a picnic area and pit toilets; no water is available. Hikers should be aware of the high population of venomous snakes, unmarked and unguarded cliff edges, and the possibility of flash floods during heavy rain.[1]
There are a number of Little Grand Canyons across America, one in Jackson County, Illinois, another in Lumpkin, Georgia, and another in Huntington State Park in Utah.