A dazzling rainbow of colors — from luscious pinks and vivid yellows to calming purples and more — carpet the woodland floor in the spring.

   The arrival of warmer weather brings with it an array of woodland wildflowers. As the sun arches higher into the sky, light streaks through tree limbs and the ground awakens. The first arrivals include Virginia bluebells, snow trillium, cutleaf toothwort,  wild geranium (pictured to the right) and others.

   Still, for all their eye-popping colors, woodland wildflowers aren’t always easy to spot. The white mayapple flower, for example, hides underneath the plant’s wide leaves. And the whimsically named jack-in-the-pulpit has a jade-green flower that’s easy to miss. So on a hike through the woods, keep your eyes glued to the ground and take your time — the best vantage point is often as low as you can stoop.

   The Champaign County Forest Preserve District offers a number of spots for woodland wildflower viewing. According to natural resource technicians Adam Rex and Nate Hudson, head to:

1. ✤ Lake of the Woods, Mahomet, and Rayburn-
   

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