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. It is probably also due to the little exposure it receives on the City of Lakeville’s Website. The Web page for the park consists of a Google map, a link for the trail map and facilities, and a list of rules for horseback rides. Low visitor numbers may be seen as an asset for amateur naturalists or nature lovers looking for a solitary, not social, experience.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Destinations/Ritter_Farm_Park.html