Ritter Farm Park

Lakeville, MN

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Lakeville Parks and Facilities

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

At 340 acres, Ritter Farm Park is by far the largest in the City of Lakeville park system. Its 8.6 miles of hiking/equestrian trails meander around prairie openings and through undeveloped woodlands; across low ridges and into shallow ravines; and through the parks only native plant community, Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland. In the winter, 5.7 miles of the trails are groomed for cross-country skiing but are used mostly for winter hiking. Winter hikers do not have to share the trails with horseback riders.

For a park of this size Ritter Farm Park is little visited, even by Lakeville residents. This may be in part due to its out-of-the-way location. Low visitor numbers may be seen as an asset for amateur naturalists or nature lovers looking for a solitary, not social, experience.

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Ritter Farm Park trails

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
         
         
 

Size

 
 

340 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

19300 Ritter Trail
Lakeville, MN  55044

N44 40.019, W93 17.739

 
         
 

Hours

 
 

6 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

 
         
 

Fees

 
 

No fee

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Dakota County  
          Metro Area  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

There are 8.6 miles of hiking/horse trails.

Visitors will benefit by printing a trail map (see Maps above) before their visit. Large, full color maps are posted at a just a handful of trail intersections. The trail intersections are numbered, and the numbers appear on the trailside maps. The trail names and intersection numbers are also shown on the new printed maps.

Matterhorn Trail on the west side of the park passes through a high(er) quality woodland, identified by the Minnesota Biological Survey as Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Big Woods

   
  Land Type Association    

Elko Moraine

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Park entrance

 
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Parking

 
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Information Kiosk

 
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Picnic area

 
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Lake Marion

 
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Mader Loop Trail

 
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Low-lying portions of the Mader Trail are flooded in the spring.

  Ritter Farm Park  
           
           
 

Matterhorn Trail

 
    Ritter Farm Park   Ritter Farm Park  
           
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Green (unnamed) trails

Low-lying portions of the green (unnamed) trails are flooded in the spring.

  Ritter Farm Park  
           
    Ritter Farm Park      
           
 

Cattail marsh

 
    Ritter Farm Park      
           
 

Prairie restoration

 
    Ritter Farm Park      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Ritter Farm Park Place Profile
Bridget Brunello
 
   
 
About

Published on Jan 4, 2016

I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator (http://www.youtube.com/upload)

 
  Ritter Farm Park | Kristy + Joe Engagement | Jeannine Marie Photography
Jeannine Marie
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 15, 2015

http://www.jeanninemarie.com 651.434.1578

Unforgettable wedding photography in the Twin Cities and beyond.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Ritter Farm Park
City of Lakeville
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jan 6, 2011

Find out about the history of the largest park in Lakeville.

   
  Ritter Farm Park Horse slipping
Craig Natvig
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 2, 2012

Sheila and I riding in Ritter on a slippery slope

   
  Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville
Kevin Gilmore
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 28, 2012

The jewel of Lakeville. This was our first trip of the year to Ritter Farm Park with our pups. It's their little piece of heaven on earth. They love it!

   
  Possible Human Remains Discovered at Lakeville Park
KSTP
 
   
 
About

Published on May 16, 2014

Lakeville Police are investigating after bones believed to be human were discovered Thursday in a park. Police were called just after 2 p.m. to Ritter Farm Park located at 195th Street and I-35. Police believe the bones have been in the park for some time.

   
  LKG puppets Bugs & Animals after dark
LakevillePuppetsLKG
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jun 28, 2010

Join Dickie Duck at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville, MN as he checks out bugs & animals after dark

   

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

1/23/2016

  5/23/2019            
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

  boreal chorus frog  
 

Birds

 
 

Eleven bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Threatened

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Special Concern

Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii)

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Purple Martin (Progne subis)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

 
 

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Veery (Catharus fuscescens)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

 

American Redstart

Blue Jay

Canada Goose

Eastern Kingbird

Green Heron

Mallard

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Wood Duck

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fungi List

 
 

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata)

Hexagonal-pored Polypore (Neofavolus alveolaris)

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore (Daedaleopsis confragosa)

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

  Hexagonal-pored Polypore  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

boxelder pouchgall mite (Aceria negundi)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

plum finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae)

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

willow pinecone gall midge (Rabdophaga strobiloides)

  red admiral  
 

Mammals

 
 

American beaver (Castor canadensis)

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

 

American red squirrel

eastern chipmunk

 
 

Plants

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland FDs37b

     
 

 

Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hazelnut (Corylus americana)

American plum (Prunus americana)

American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

Amur maple (Acer ginnala)

annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea)

Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera × bella)

bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black walnut (Juglans nigra)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Canadian white violet (Viola canadensis var. rugulosa)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

common blue violet (Viola sororia)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common duckweed (Lemna minor)

common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common plantain (Plantago major)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

downy Parlin’s pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax)

downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens var. peckii)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)

eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)

eastern woodland sedge (Carex blanda)

field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum)

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

hairy vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. villosa)

Howell’s pussytoes (Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leafy spurge (Euphorbia virgata)

Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum)

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra var. glabra)

ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica)

pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red baneberry (Actaea rubra ssp. rubra)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

red pine (Pinus resinosa)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

Siberian peashrub (Caragana arborescens)

silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)

slender willow (Salix petiolaris)

slippery elm (Ulmus rubra)

smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum)

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

southern blue flag (Iris virginica var. shrevei)
OR
northern blue flag (Iris versicolor)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata)

Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white oak (Quercus alba)

white rattlesnake root (Nabalus albus)

white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

white spruce (Picea glauca)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana)

yellow marsh marigold (Caltha palustris var. palustris)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer ginnala (Amur maple)

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Actaea rubra ssp. rubra (red baneberry)

Aesculus glabra var. glabra (Ohio buckeye)

Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica (Howell’s pussytoes)

Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax (downy Parlin’s pussytoes)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit)

Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern)

Barbarea vulgaris (winter cress)

Caltha palustris var. palustris (yellow marsh marigold)

Caragana arborescens (Siberian peashrub)

Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)

Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)

Carex radiata (eastern star sedge)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Cirsium discolor (field thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Corylus americana (American hazelnut)

Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy)

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail)

Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane)

Euphorbia virgata (leafy spurge)

Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster)

Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw)

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed)

Iris versicolor (northern blue flag)
OR
Iris virginica var. shrevei (southern blue flag)

Juglans nigra (black walnut)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Lemna minor (common duckweed)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Lonicera × bella (Bell’s honeysuckle)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)

Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal)

Malus ioensis (prairie crabapple)

Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Nabalus albus (white rattlesnake root)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Picea glauca (white spruce)

Pinus resinosa (red pine)

Pinus strobus (eastern white pine)

Plantago major (common plantain)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)

Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil)

Prunus americana (American plum)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus alba (white oak)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Reynoutria japonica (Japanese knotweed)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry)

Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Salix petiolaris (slender willow)

Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Ulmus rubra (slippery elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)

Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch)

Vicia villosa ssp. villosa (hairy vetch)

Viola canadensis var. rugulosa (Canadian white violet)

Viola pubescens var. peckii (downy yellow violet)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

Allegheny blackberry

American plum

American vetch

Bell’s honeysuckle

black cherry

bloodroot

Canada anemone

Canadian white violet

chokecherry

common blue violet

common strawberry

common yarrow

eastern white pine

field thistle

golden alexanders

gray-headed coneflower

ground ivy

hairy vetch

large-flowered bellwort

leafy spurge

Missouri gooseberry

Morrow’s honeysuckle

nannyberry

red baneberry

red elderberry

round-headed bush clover

rue anemone

silvery cinquefoil

white snakeroot

wild columbine

wild geranium

woodland strawberry

yellow marsh marigold

 
 

Reptiles

 
  common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)   common garter snake  

 

 

Binoculars

 

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