Cedar Creek Trail has been open again between Dennis Avenue and Old 56 Highway since Monday, October 19. So where do you leave the car?
The City of Olathe says no public parking connects directly to the reopened stretch right now. The fix is coming from the same project that closed the trail in the first place. A new gravel lot with direct trail access will open once construction wraps up at the new sewer pump station on the south side of Lake Olathe, and the city expects that by the end of the year. Until then, the open part of the trail is easiest to reach from the parks around it: Lake Olathe Park to the north and Johnson County's Cedar Niles Park to the northwest.
The open stretch, and the fence at Old 56
You can now use the trail from Dennis Avenue, which becomes 143rd Street, down to Old 56 Highway. South of Old 56, the trail is still closed while crews finish the last sections of sewer pipe. The city expects that pipe work to end by year's end. The torn-out sections of trail will then be rebuilt, and the rest of the trail is set to reopen in spring 2027.
That timing matters because the trail's south end is Cedar Lake. The city lists Cedar Lake Park as an access point for its 2.8-mile Cedar Creek Trail between Cedar Lake and Lake Olathe. Pipe installation at Cedar Lake is finished and the ground is being graded and seeded. Even so, the park stays closed until paving work is done, which is also expected in spring 2027.
For now, the trail opens from the north and stops partway down. When the Johnson County Post covered the finish of the trail's second phase in 2024, it described the trail as paved, 10 feet wide and nearly three miles long. Johnson County Post This fall you get the northern part of that, with a temporary dead end at Old 56.
Why the parking lot comes with the pump station
The trail closed for the West Cedar Creek Sewer Interceptor. It's a large sewer line, 30 to 42 inches across, that runs along Cedar Creek from 159th Street up to a new pump station near the southeast corner of Lake Olathe. From there it continues along the lake's west side and north to the city's treatment plant at Cedar Creek and 119th Street. The city says the line serves growth concentrated south of 143rd Street and west of US-169.
That pump station, which the city calls the regional lift station, now decides when the trail gets its new front door. In its October 9 update, the city said the building structure is complete and contractors are working on exterior finishes, final electrical work, piping and equipment. Startup testing on the major equipment was set to begin in mid-October and run through November, and the station should go into service near the end of the year. The gravel lot is tied to that finish line. City of Olathe project page
The schedule has shifted before. In February, the city expected trail work between Dennis Avenue and Cedar Lake to wrap up in summer 2026, with restoration and reopening by fall. Part of it reopened in October, and the rest moved to spring. If you're planning around the gravel lot, check the project page again in December.
Where to start in the meantime
Four spots near the reopened stretch have their own parking and hours. Several have changed for the season.
| Starting point | Parking | What's there | Fall note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Olathe Park, off Dennis Ave. and Santa Fe St. via Ward Cliff Dr. and Lakeshore Dr. | Park lots | Four miles of paved shared-use trail, Beaver Shelter, fishing pavilion, self-service kayaks | Open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; beach and marina closed until 2027 |
| Cedar Niles, 119th Street west of K-7 | Paved lot | Trailhead, portable restroom, bike fix-it station | Water fountain runs April 15 to Oct. 15 only |
| Cedar Niles, 127th and Clare Road | Paved lot | Trailhead, portable restroom, bike fix-it station | Water fountain runs April 15 to Oct. 15 only |
| Cedar Niles, 135th Street access | Not listed as paved | Trailhead, shelter, playground, bike fix-it station | Restrooms and fountain run April 15 to Oct. 15 only |
Lake Olathe Park is the closest full-service option to the trail's north end at Dennis Avenue. Beaver Shelter sits on the lake's east side. When no one has reserved it, it's first come, first served, with restrooms, two charcoal grills and a nature playground. The playground has its own 0.2-mile loop, a good size for small legs. You can still rent self-service kayaks through the Rent.Fun app during park hours near the fishing pavilion, and the city lists boating hours as 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Spray Ground's season ended October 1.
Cedar Niles Park is the bigger option. The Johnson County Park & Recreation District property covers 1,135 acres west of K-7, from about 119th Street to just past 135th Street. It has 4 miles of paved multi-use trail plus the 4.5-mile Columbine Loop, an unpaved, medium-difficulty single-track for mountain biking and hiking. The loop is named for the native wildflower that grows thickly on its northern part. The same sewer line ran through here earlier this year. The city reported on April 15 that pipeline work along the Cedar Niles trails was nearly done and the full trail was open again.
For the rest of the fall, the main difference between the two parks is water. The fountains at all three Cedar Niles access points and the restrooms at the 135th Street access shut off on October 15, so pack your own water.
The missing 0.9 mile between them
Lake Olathe and Cedar Niles sit close together, but there's no trail between them yet. The city calls the link Cedar Creek Trail Phase III. It's planned as a 0.9-mile, 10-foot-wide asphalt trail from Beaver Shelter to Cedar Niles Park north of West 135th Street. The Olathe City Council awarded the construction contract to Pyramid Contractors on January 20, 2026. Olathe City Council record The city's fact sheet shows construction starting in spring 2026 and an estimated finish in winter 2026.
The project isn't on the city's road-closure list for the week of October 26 to 30. For a walk this month, plan on two separate parks and two parking stops. When the connector opens, Cedar Niles' paved and single-track trails, the Lake Olathe trails and the rebuilt Cedar Creek Trail will form one network that reaches from 119th Street down to Cedar Lake.
What changes between now and spring
Here's the order the city has given, using its latest published dates:
- November 2026. Restoration continues along the sewer route between Dennis Avenue/143rd Street and 119th Street. The triangle intersection of Lakeshore Drive and 143rd/Dennis is repaved, and the curve reopens to traffic.
- Through November. Startup testing continues on the Lake Olathe lift station's major equipment.
- By year's end. The lift station goes into service, the gravel lot with direct trail access opens, and pipe work south of Old 56 Highway finishes.
- Winter 2026, estimated. The Phase III connector from Beaver Shelter to Cedar Niles is due, according to the city's fact sheet.
- Spring 2027. The rebuilt trail south of Old 56 reopens. Cedar Lake Park reopens after paving. Separately, the city says the Beach at Lake Olathe and its marina will reopen sometime in 2027.
The city has two December events on the calendar, one of them at the lake. Olathe Live! Christmas: Lester Estelle & Friends plays Eagles Landing at Lake Olathe, 475 S. Ward Cliff Dr., on December 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. Six days earlier, the Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting takes place at the Downtown Library at 260 E. Santa Fe St. on December 4 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with the Civic Jazz Band, crafts and photos with Santa. If you go to the December 10 show, that's about when the city expects the lift station to be close to done. On the way in, keep an eye on Dennis Avenue for the new gravel lot.
If you live in west Olathe and wonder how projects like the sewer line, the connector and the new lot affect your home's value, The Johns Family Team is glad to walk through it with you. We follow these city projects block by block. Get your free home valuation, and we'll show you what's changing near your street.
