Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat Area is a peaceful and welcoming sanctuary for nature and people alike. This County park is a place for people to slow down, explore, and observe the natural world at work. From mud flats and shallow water wetlands, to open water ponds and surrounding upland areas, Walden also provides diverse habitat for many species of plants and wildlife.
This has not always been the case. At some point in the early history of Boulder County, the land that now supports Walden Ponds was transformed from a native prairie and riparian ecosystem to pastures for hay and livestock grazing. This use continued into the 1950s when Boulder County began to purchase the property for its gravel resources. In 1958, gravel mining at Walden Ponds began and continued sporadically until the mid-1990s. In the early 1970s, County Commissioner Walden Toevs proposed reclaiming the barren and desolate gravel pits to productive wildlife habitat to be used as a public open space for recreation, education, and relaxation.
Reclamation of the three eastern ponds and wetlands for wildlife habitat began in 1974, and the site opened as a public open space in 1975 with a number of recreational amenities including trails, fishing access, and bird-watching blinds. Gravel mining and subsequent reclamation efforts for the western ponds and wetlands concluded in the mid-1990s. Trails were designated around these ponds and wetlands and incorporated into the existing trail system.
Today, Walden Ponds consists of Wally Toevs Pond, Cottonwood Marsh, Duck Pond, Bass Pond, and Ricky Weiser Wetland. As a testament to its success, the 113-acre open space property currently contains unique and important wildlife habitat and provides excellent public recreation and education opportunities. The mosaic of wetlands, riparian vegetation, grasslands, mud flats, and open water provides for numerous wildlife species, especially a large diversity of waterfowl. The water levels within the groundwater-fed ponds and wetlands fluctuate seasonally and annually, providing an ever-changing environment that supports a variety of species and reflects the natural hydrologic cycle of the Front Range of Colorado.
The Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat Management Plan was adopted by the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners on August 31, 2010. The plan revises, updates, and supersedes the original management plan for Walden Ponds, which was prepared in 1982. Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) chose to revise the 1982 plan for a number of reasons. These include the extensive amount of time that has elapsed since the first plan, the completion of on-site mining and reclamation, the evolution of the site since reclamation, and an overall better understanding of the various opportunities and constraints posed by the site. The purpose of the Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat Management Plan is to update the vision, goals, objectives, and management strategies for future management of the site.
Since the last management plan, Walden Ponds has truly succeeded in meeting its original goal of reclaiming wildlife habitat from former gravel mines and now enters into a new era of management. This plan moves the site from its reclamation past to its fulfillment as a sanctuary for wildlife and an open space for recreation and education. The current vision for Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat Area is:
- A wildlife haven of ponds, wetlands, and uplands on former gravel mines blanketed by native cottonwoods, willows, grasses, marsh species, mud flats, and open water for a diversity of species.
- An easily accessible place on the plains of Boulder County where people can observe and learn about the evolving landscape and natural cycles.
- An open space with peaceful trails, exceptional wildlife viewing, captivating interpretation, and accessible fishing.
Pursuant to the new management plan, BCPOS continues to provide a number of visitor facilities and amenities with some necessary changes and upgrades. The three trailheads (Wally Toevs Pond, Cottonwood Marsh, and Heatherwood Trail) have been upgraded to provide better and more efficient parking and access. BCPOS will continue to provide and maintain 4.2 miles of multiple use trails including the Walden Ponds Trail and the Heatherwood Trail, as well as the Cottonwood Marsh boardwalk and the Wally Toevs Pond fishing pier. The popular boardwalk on the south edge of Cottonwood Marsh has been completely rebuilt, and new interpretive panels installed, and necessary repairs to the Wally Toevs Pond fishing pier have recently been completed. The trail around Bass Pond and Ricky Weiser Wetland, and the Heatherwood Trail have been converted from an unimproved two-track trail and asphalt trail, respectively, to more accessible and durable crusher fine trails.
Finally, safer and less environmentally damaging access points to Wally Toevs Pond and Duck Pond have also been provided for fishing, bird watching, and interpretive programs. These improvements include two fishing platforms with staircase access at Wally Toevs Pond, and one fishing platform at Duck Pond. Also at Duck Pond, an interpretive program platform with staircase access and an interpretive panel have been installed to facilitate our many wetland ecology programs for Boulder County schools. BCPOS received an $8000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (formerly Colorado Division of Wildlife) to make these improvements at Walden Ponds, and related improvements at Pella Crossing Open Space.
With improvements in place and continued habitat protection, Walden Ponds should continue to provide diverse recreational and educational opportunities for many years to come, as well as a refuge for those seeking a brief connection with nature.