Tabor Lake's First Fall With a Real Trail: A Wheat Ridge Greenbelt Saturday That Ends in Cider on Robb Street

Nearly $900,000 in grant funding went into a new trail around one Wheat Ridge pond this year. Before that, the path around Tabor Lake was an informal, unstable route along the shoreline. Now it's a dedicated, accessible trail that ties into the Clear Creek Trail. The city finished building it in April 2026 and held the ribbon-cutting on June 4. The city also put a new aeration system in the lake, and it started running in the spring.

That makes this October the first fall with both fixes in place. The west end of the Greenbelt, between Youngfield and Kipling, is where you'll see the 2026 work. A new burrito counter opened near there in July, and fall migration is moving through. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the Wheat Ridge Historical Society will be pressing apples on Robb Street.

A pond that finally has an edge you can walk

Tabor Lake was always popular, but it never had a real path. Mayor Korey Stites described its role in the June announcement:

"For many residents, Tabor Lake is a place to walk, fish, enjoy nature, and spend time with family and friends. This project makes it easier for more people to enjoy the lake while helping preserve it for future generations."

The project took about five years. The Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation Commission came up with the idea in 2021. Engineering students from the Colorado School of Mines drew the first plans. Those plans helped win nearly $900,000 from Jefferson County Open Space's Trails Partnership Program and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs for the National Park Service. Emily Guffin, who manages trails for Jeffco Parks and Open Space, said the point was to "enhance connections to the Clear Creek Trail, a key regional corridor."

Here's what we couldn't confirm before you go:

• The June release said "a few final improvements" were coming later in the summer. We haven't seen a city update saying they're done, so expect some unfinished details.
• The city hasn't published a loop length for the Tabor Lake Trail or named a separate trailhead for it.
• We didn't find any current notice of closures or detours on the Clear Creek Trail in Wheat Ridge. We also didn't find an official all-clear.

The aeration is the half you can't see

The trail gets the attention, but the water work matters just as much this fall. The city says rising temperatures in recent years have hurt water quality in Tabor Lake, creating conditions that can lead to algae blooms and occasional fish kills. To fix it, Wheat Ridge used money from CPW's Fishing is Fun program to install an aeration system. It moves the water around and raises oxygen levels across the lake. It started running this spring.

The city lists fishing as one of the Clear Creek Trail's main features, along with an ADA-accessible path, benches, and a wildlife viewing boardwalk. We haven't found a CPW stocking schedule for Tabor Lake this fall, so the aeration system is the only 2026 fishing news we can point to. Its first full summer of heat has now passed. Parks and Recreation Director Karen O'Donnell summed up the two goals as "a better experience for park users today while protecting the lake's health for years to come."

Why fall puts this stretch at its best

Tabor Lake sits in the part of the Greenbelt that birders already know well. The Colorado Birding Trail calls the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt "Denver's best migrant trap." It says the best spots are along Clear Creek between Youngfield and Kipling streets, where there's mature cottonwood forest, four good-sized ponds, and brushy marsh. Tabor, Bass Lake, West Lake, and Prospect Pond are all on that stretch. The page calls migration "obviously" the best time to visit. Among the regular birds it lists are Plumbeous and Cassin's Vireos, Virginia's, MacGillivray's, Orange-crowned, and Townsend's Warblers, and most of the usual Front Range sparrows. Eastern Screech-Owls show up most reliably at the east end. That page dates to 2024, so treat it as a guide to the habitat, not a report of recent sightings.

Overall, the city's section of the Clear Creek Trail runs about 7 miles through 300 acres of open space. It starts west of Youngfield Street and ends at Harlan Street. The ponds sit in a short stretch at the western end, so you can spend a morning there without committing to the whole trail.

Starting at the Youngfield end

There are two lots for the ponds. The west lot is on the east side of Youngfield just past the Clear Creek bridge. The east lot is off Kipling: go west on 41st Avenue and follow the Greenbelt signs. The city gives the west lot's address as the Youngfield Trailhead Parking Lot, 4100 Youngfield St. The same lot serves the Arapahoe Bar, about a quarter mile west of Youngfield on the north side of the trail. It's the only part of Clear Creek where the city allows recreational gold panning.

The west end also has somewhere new to eat this year. Westword's July 2026 roundup listed Bonfire Burritos opening at 4001 Clear Creek Drive in Wheat Ridge. It joins the chain's locations in Golden and Arvada. Its location page shows it open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., which suits an early birding walk.

Oct. 10: from the ponds to the cider press

Next Saturday has the best reason of the season to stay on this side of town. The Wheat Ridge Historical Society's Apple Cider Day runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at Wheat Ridge Historical Park, 4610 Robb St. Bring your own apples and clean containers to use the society's press. Donations are appreciated. You'll also find apple demonstrations, Golden Strings Bluegrass, craft demonstrations, animals, games, sock puppets, and the Mile Hi Smokers BBQ food truck. The city lists the site as ADA compliant. Organizers say to check their website or Facebook page for updates closer to the date.

The park is worth a look even without the cider. It covers about three acres and includes the Baugh House, the Coulehan-Johnson Cabin, the Sod House, the town's first post office, and old farm equipment. Tours cost $2 to $5 per person. The society dates the Soddy to around 1886 and calls it a National Historic Site. The cabin was built in 1859 and moved to the park in 1985.

Apples fit this part of town. The Applewood Estates neighborhood association says the Applewood name comes from apple groves that once grew west of Kipling, around 32nd Avenue. It presents that as local lore, not a documented record.

Refueling on West 44th

If you're heading up to Robb Street, or coming back from it, there are a few places to stop on West 44th Avenue:

1. Early Dog Coffee Co., 9005 W. 44th Ave., is open daily 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takes online orders. Its site is currently showing a Pumpkin Spiced Latte and a Chai Caramel Apple Pie Latte.
2. Pietra's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, a few doors down at 9045 W. 44th Ave., is open Tuesday through Sunday.
3. New Image Brewing, 9505 W. 44th Ave., is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, it hosts Localworks' OktoberInvest from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

If you're coming from the Kipling side, Apple Ridge Cafe is a family-owned spot at 3790 Kipling St.

Two more dates on the calendar

The city's Trunk-or-Treat runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at The Green at 38th, 7101 W. 38th Ave. The Historical Society is back at the Baugh House, 11361 W. 44th Ave. at Robb Street, on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for its Hootenanny and Community Song Fest. Bring an instrument or just your voice. A speaker from the Wheat Ridge Police Department is also on the schedule. By then the leaves on the cottonwoods along Clear Creek will mostly be gone, and Tabor Lake's new trail will have made it through its first full fall.

If the Greenbelt is part of what you value about your corner of Wheat Ridge, it helps to know how that shows up in your home's value. Nick Evancich and THE LIST bring 30+ years of Colorado market and construction experience to that question. Let's connect, and we'll start with a free home valuation.