Wood Lake Nature Center

Main Building & Parking: 6710 Lake Shore Drive (street map)  Richfield, MN 55423    612-861-9365
Building Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm, Sunday, Noon-5:00 pm
Nature Center building closed on all major holidays - trails remain open
Park Hours: Daily, Sunrise to 11:00 pm


Wood Lake Building Project

The City of Richfield is designing a new Wood Lake Nature Center Building.  Please take this survey to share what you find important as we create a new space or the community to connect with the natural world.

PROGRAMS AND REGISTRATION
Online Program Registration

Spring/Summer 2024 Program Brochure (registration opens Monday, March 4, 9:00 am)
Scholarship and Fee Assistance Information (eligible Richfield residents can receive a $50 credit per household member to spend during the year)

REVISED REFUND POLICY (2024)
To request the cancellation of a program registration, contact Richfield Recreation Services at 612-861-9385 or recreation@richfieldmn.gov

No refunds are granted for registrations cancelled by the participant within 13 days or less of the first day of the program.
Full refunds are granted for cancellations made 14 days or more before the first day of the program (less a $5 processing fee per program cancelled)
Full refunds are granted for program cancellations made by the Recreation Services Department.
Exceptions include injury or death in the immediate family (a doctor’s note or other proof of medical condition may be required). Special events such as Half-Haunted Halloween and Candlelight & Ice are non-refundable. Birthday parties are non-refundable, but a party may be rescheduled within six months.

Transfers/Substitutions: Contact Recreation Services to transfer to a different class. A $5 processing fee per transferred program will apply. No participant substitution will be allowed for any program. All transfers must be made two weeks or more before the start of the program from which you’re transferring.

Walking Trail Conditions: Walking trails are in good condition. 
Park Guidelines:
Please keep our park healthy and welcoming to all wildlife and people by observing these guidelines...

  • Dogs are not allowed at Wood Lake (note: service dogs are welcomed.  Non-service dogs are allowed on a leash at any other Richfield park. The Richfield Off-Leash Dog Area is located at Roosevelt Park, 77th Street and Portland Avenue)
  • No bikes inside the park
  • Stay on the trails
  • Observe park signs
  • Dispose of trash and recycling properly
  • No picking of plants

En Español
Aquí se puede encontrar información en español acerca de programas y eventos para niños y familias. O también se puede bajar un folleto más corto mostrando algunos programas y eventos de destaco en español.

Other Activities at Wood Lake
Geocaching at Wood Lake
Did you know there are geocaches hidden inside of Wood Lake's 150 acres, waiting to be discovered? If you love being outdoors, exploring new places, or going on a nature hunt, this is the perfect activity for you!

Geocaching is a great outdoor recreation activity for all ages and experience levels (beginners welcome!). Geocaching uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) where points are located on a GPS receiver or mobile device to find hide-and-seek containers called "geocaches" or "caches” hidden at specific locations and marked by coordinates. A typical cache is a small, waterproof container with a logbook in which notes can be added by the finder.

Want to try geocaching at Wood Lake? Download the geocaching.com app on your mobile device and create an account for free. Don't own a mobile phone? Reserve one of our GPS receivers for free by calling Wood Lake at 612-861-9365.

Plan Your Visit
Wood Lake has over two miles of crushed limestone walking trails, floating boardwalk, and groomed cross-country ski trails (weather-permitting). See Wood Lake's trail map for distances and more information.  Check out our Things To Do page to find out all the fun things there is to do during your visit at Wood Lake!

Environmental Education
Since 1971, the K-6 Richfield Public School students have visited Wood Lake three times a year as part of their regular science curriculum  This partnership is made possible by the annual Urban Wildland Half Marathon & 5K. To plan a guided field trip with a naturalist, visit our Field Trips and Education page for more information or call 612-861-9365 to book a field trip. 

All-Terrain Wheelchairs

All terrain wheelchairs WLNC

Wood Lake Nature Center has two Grit Freedom Chairs available for use on the trails. These manual, all-terrain wheelchairs designed by MIT engineers were funded by round-up donations at Richfield Liquor stores. They have a chain drive system that the visitor can operate themselves, or a caregiver can assist with the handlebars. Adult and youth-sized chairs are available. They are easy to operate and will allow our visitors to navigate our trails with ease.

Visitors can check out the wheel chairs at the front desk for use on site or call Wood Lake at 612-861-9365 t o make a reservation.



 


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  • Parking includes 7 accessible parking spaces
  • Parking lot is bordered by a sidewalk with 3 curb cut outs close to ramp entrance and 2 gate entrances
  • Automatic door opener at main entrance
  • ADA-compliant drinking fountain
  • Boardwalk trail is combination of paved and crushed limestone
  • Two amphitheaters on the property are accessible
  • Accessible dock 
  • Accessible picnic tables are available in the Emily Day Picnic Pavilion, the gateway picnic area by the parking lot,  and by the pollinator garden near the nature center building.
  • For specific accommodations, please contact 612-861-9366 with advanced notice
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