Prairie Coteau SNA 

About

Prairie Coteau is one of the most important and stunning prairies in southwestern Minnesota. It occupies an area of steep slopes and valleys that cut through the Bemis glacial moraine, and takes its name from the larger, 20,000 square mile plateau of which it is a part, the Coteau des Prairies,' or prairie highlands. Painter George Catlin, traveling to the region in the 1830s, offered a description of the approach from the surrounding plains that still holds true today: "For many miles we had the Coteau in view in the distance before us, which looked like a blue cloud settling down in the horizon."

At this 420-acre site, deep stony till deposited from 18,000 to 12,000 years ago lies exposed on eroded slopes, while the flat ridge tops are covered by loess (fine, windblown sediments of glacial origin). Rolling, treeless topography hosts native dry sand-gravel prairie on the higher elevations and prairie meadow/carr (a type of wet prairie) in lowland areas and along drainages occupied by intermittent streams. Rare Dakota, and Ottoe skippers are among at least 40 lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species documented here, along with more than 60 species of grasses, sedges and rushes, and over 200 wildflower species, including the small white lady's-slipper.

This site has no maintained trails or other recreational facilities. This site is in an Audubon Important Bird Area. Buffalo Ridge WMA is adjacent to this site.