Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat

Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat
Walden Ponds in winter
Map
LocationBoulder County, Colorado
Nearest cityBoulder
Coordinates40°02′39″N 105°11′16″W / 40.0441°N 105.1879°W / 40.0441; -105.1879
Area102 acres (41 ha)
Established1974
www.bouldercounty.org/os/parks/pages/waldenponds.aspx

Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat is a 102-acre (41 ha) Boulder County, Colorado park. It was reclaimed between 1974 and the 1990s from an open-pit gravel mine on the site, and is named after Walden "Wally" Toevs, the Boulder County Commissioner who spearheaded the plan to convert the gravel pits into a wildlife habitat.[1]

After the mining ceased and the property had been stripped 15 feet (4.6 m) down to bedrock, all that was left were open pits and puddles of ground water.[1]

The park has several ponds and marshlands, hiking trails, picnic facilities, restrooms, and fishing. It claims to be one of the best bird-watching areas in Boulder County.[1]

Along the boardwalk at Walden Ponds.
Birds at Walden Ponds.
  1. ^ a b c "Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat Management Plan" (PDF). Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department.