Little Menominee River Little Menominee River The Little Menominee River is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River, which it joins in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The Little Menominee rises in Grant County, Wisconsin. It flows south, to the east of the Menominee River, into Illinois. It crosses the northwestern corner of Illinois for about six miles before joining the Mississippi at the southern end of East Dubuque. The town of Menominee, Illinois is located on the river. The name "Menominee" refers to the Menominee, a Native American people. The name means "good seed" or "wild rice". The river is part of the
Muddy River (Washington) 83 and passes the Ape Canyon Trailhead and the Lava Canyon Interpretive Site, both on the left, before entering Muddy River Gorge. Flowing northeast through the gorge, the stream plunges over three waterfalls before emerging from the narrows and curving sharply again to the southeast. Here Crane Lake is on the left, Smith Creek enters from the left, and Smith Creek Trailhead is on the right. Slightly downstream of the trailhead, the river leaves the national volcanic monument but remains in the national forest. At about the level, Clearwater Creek enters from the left. Turning south, the river descends less