DE SMET — On Thursday, June 23, a group of interested parties met at the S.D. Game, Fish, & Parks kiosk on Highway 14 south of De Smet, with a view toward the future on the agenda.
The group was gathered to learn of a project in the making for a lighted trail overseeing the “Big Slough” and Silver Lake on the south edge of De Smet, which Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about in her books.
Several interested individuals, including Barett Steenrod, Rita Anderson, Laird Beck, Bob and Nancy Montross and aided by the National Parks Service and other agencies have begun a project to create a walking ad biking trail for residents and visitors from De Smet, through the “Big Slough,” and eventually around the perimeter of the S.D. GF&P forest reserve along U.S. Highway 14 south of town.
The vision includes a lighted boardwalk across the “Big Slough,” which will offer an opportunity for people to see it and Silver Lake in its natural beauty.
This trail will join the already existing cement path commencing on 4th Street in De Smet and will, hopefully, someday cross Kingsbury County and maybe the State of South Dakota along U.S. Highway 14.
Plans for amenities on this trail are a bird watching tower and resting areas for those using it along with providing additional trails to the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites and Lake Thompson.
Fundraising for this project has begun with the public being welcomed to participate in such.
This may be done by contacting any of the listed project coordinators.
