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Louise's Utopia: The Beauty Of The South Dakota Coteau Des Prairie And A Hope That Nobody Notices

Writer's picture: Coteau Valley FarmCoteau Valley Farm

Updated: Jan 26


The view from the flat area before the Coteau des Prairie South Dakota

Today the prairie today is full of sunshine and blue skies. No fretting, this is not a weather report but it needs to be said that it looks breathtaking. There is something astonishingly beautiful about white snow against a blue sky and the warm sunlight covering the earth. Tiny crystals in the snow reflect the sunlight above appearing like a million stars in daytime! One could never number the glaring specks, and if they examined those shiny spots of snow very closely all of them would appear uniquely different. It is a wondrous sight to sit and gaze out onto the coteau. The tall grasses in the fields smartly entrenched themselves deep into the snow on the ground. Yet the tops of the grasses gently or violently sway back and forth with the wind. This part of South Dakota has plenty of deciduous trees for the area and rolling hills. It looks a lot like Minnesota only there is an elevation to the area that is lacking in Minnesota. I think the coteau is an unknown or undiscovered gem. One of the largest remaining grasslands in the United States. It covers more than two million acres formed from a glacier. It appears as a dark shadow in the distance when you are approaching it from any direction. There are not a lot of services or towns with anything in them in the area. I think that is probably why not a lot of people visit the area. I find it surprising that they have not made a scenic byway across the coteau. I have read about the process of creating a scenic byway and have decided that it would not be cost-effective to build, as the roads here are shoddy oil roads or gravel and would not suffice or compare to a well-planned scenic byway with shoulders and pull-offs. But I would venture to say if this area was well planned and someone with some insight and vision took the initiative it would draw the crowds. Tourists would flock to the area if the services were in place. Alas, they are not, so it is very quiet and there are not many people around. The grasslands and agricultural fields sit alone. I think that is a good thing. As I have mentioned I grew up in the Black Hills and the winter was the one time my town was a quiet, poor village. Now that the land was discovered to be of value, it has been overrun with revenue and is completely commercialized. It is a sad sight. At one time it had a balance between tourism and its originality, but this has been wildly replaced with noise. I do not wish that on the coteau. Leave it as it is a beautiful, silent prairie. I do not think that will happen. Eventually, someone will notice it. With Fargo growing by leaps and bounds, it will not be long before the coteau of South Dakota is discovered. Like Ray said, "If you build it, they will come." Somebody will build something exciting, and then people will come to see for themselves, and decide to stay. But for now, it can be enjoyed for what it is and by anyone. They have not created a Yellowstone Club here, yet. Give them time though. I type that with a grimace because I don't support the idea. Alas, I have strayed far from my original intent. How usual. I intended to loan some insight into the beauty of my surroundings but realized in doing so I set the allure into sway. It is hard to see something so beautiful and not want to write about it or tell others what has been seen. There has to be some balance but I doubt there is. Even so, the coteau is phenomenal and worth the drive to Northeast South Dakota. But do not plan on staying as there is no place to sleep, eat, or be entertained unless you can stand silence. Surprisingly, there is not even the world's largest attraction to see. Things like the world's largest pheasant and cow are elsewhere. We have the reality and the silence. The photo I chose is from a previous day but shows the form of the coteau as you approach it from the west. It is known as the Alps of South Dakota and there is reason for that!

*Thank you for reading Louise's Utopia: The Beauty Of The Coteau And A Hope That Nobody Notices Louise's Utopia: The Beauty of the south dakota coteau des prairie and a hope

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Jan 13
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