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RICE CREEK NORTH REGIONAL TRAIL MASTER PLAN | 17 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rice Creek Trail & Wetlands Low lying areas of the park, primarily where the main channel of Rice Creek flows. The Rice Creek Watershed District continues to perform maintenance and channel meandering/restoration projects in this area. County Ditch 1 Ramsey County Ditch 1 aides in stormwater mitigation, taking runoff from surface streets and the surrounding neighborhood in the sub watershed before water reaches Rice Creek. This area has one community path crossing, however it is a low lying and perennially wet area not very suitable for development purposes. OLDA Master planning for Ramsey County Off Leash Dog Areas began in 2017 and was completed in 2018. The master plan addressed improvements to the Rice Creek Off Leash Dog Area and should be referred to for any future development of the area. Restored Prairies As a natural resource based park system Ramsey County has had several prairie restoration projects within the Rice Creek Regional Trail corridor. These areas serve as both wildlife habitat and provide users with wonderful views of this unique ecosystem. Osprey and Kestrel poles have been installed in a few areas of the park adding to the excitement of bird watchers. These areas are periodically burned and otherwise maintained so development activities should be concentrated elsewhere. Upland Wooded Areas The upland areas of the park are dominated by mixed woods and oak forests. The mixed woods are predominantly aspen trees which helps to drown out sounds of cars in areas beyond the park making for an enjoyable experience. There are many natural surface footpaths interspersed between the main trail and lowlands showing that passive recreation activities such as cross country skiing, trail running and mountain biking may be considered for some areas of the park. Trailhead & Development Areas The northern section of the Rice Creek North Regional Trail corridor has two parking lots one located off of Lexington Avenue North, and the other off of County Road I. Both parking lots have carry in access to the Rice Creek Water Trail. The parking lot off of Lexington Ave. N also hosts a restroom building and has space for approximately 35 vehicles. The parking lot off of County Road I has space for approximately 32 vehicles and also hosts a connection to a trail managed and maintained by the City of Arden Hills Community Connection Corridor These areas lie on the edge of the parks border and have spurs off of the main Rice Creek trail to serve as community connection points for those not driving to the corridor. Often found on thin strips of usable land or bordering significant topography there is not much room for further development of these spaces. Pine Plantation An iconic entrance to the north segment of the trail located near the parking lot off of County Road I. This stand of pines was most likely planted for harvest at a future date, however the pine stand remains. There is a small, improvised fort building area located within the stand just off of the main trail. Old Field Areas Undeveloped and mostly non-maintained areas of the park that have not been restored as any part of natural resource management. Dependant upon topography, location, access etc. These sites may be good candidates for passive recreation development or restoration as a part of the county natural resource management program. 1 2 3 Rice Creek North Regional Trail Zones & Use Areas