Boating hours: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Boats and personal paddlecraft (i.e., kayaks, paddle boards) can access Lake Olathe on the west side of the lake via Lakeshore Dr.

• Boat speeds may not exceed more than 5 mph
• Jet skis, water skiing, kneeboarding and surfboarding are prohibited.

All watercraft must meet Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks registration and safety equipment requirements. Visit the KDWP Boating webpage for more information.

Beaver Shelter

Located on the east side of Lake Olathe, the Beaver Shelter is available to reserve for parties or events. If not reserved, the shelter can be utilized on a first come, first served basis.

Amenities:

• 19 tables with seating for 152
• Two charcoal grills
• Lights
• Electricity
• Nature playground
• Restrooms

Lake Olathe Shelter 1

Located on the west side of Lake Olathe, Shelter 1 is available on a first come, first served basis.

Amenities:

• Two tables with seating for 16
• Two charcoal grills
• Playground
• Boat ramp
• Outdoor restroom

Lake Olathe Shelter 2

Located on the west side of Lake Olathe, Shelter 2 is available on a first come, first served basis.

Amenities:

• Two tables with seating for 16
• Two charcoal grills
• Playground
• Boat ramp
• Outdoor restroom

Four miles of paved trails encompass Lake Olathe Park, great for biking, walking or running.

Located on the east side of Lake Olathe, the upper event lawn features 0.67 acres of open space surrounded by attractive landscape and a formal runnel. The runnel flows into the upper pond and continues down a creek which runs around the Spray Ground and into Lake Olathe.

Artist Po Shu Wang sends park-goers on a musical treasure hunt at the large tuning fork located south of Eagles Landing. Push the sculpture's button to activate the musical tone of a single droplet of water, then find six other smaller droplet sculptures throughout the park. Together all seven sculptures make the full harmonic scale of water.

Measures have been taken to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of Lake Olathe. Because of this, a large variety of plants and animals can be found at the park. A total of 14,000 plants were part of the Lake Olathe renovations. The diverse plants offer visitors a unique environment to experience. Some of the vegetation includes:

Perennials

• Black-Eyed Susan
• Purple Coneflower
• Butterfly Weed

Shrubs

• Sumac
• Spicebush
• Dwarf Korean Lilac

Grasses

• North Wind Switch Grass
• Northern Sea Oats
• Prairie Dropseed

Native Trees

• Oak
• Hickory
• Black Walnut
• Yellow Buckeye

To enrich its environment, many changes were made to Lake Olathe as part of the Lake Olathe master plan. Some changes include:

• 57,600 square feet of sod was installed
• A reclaimed water irrigation system was instituted to conserve water
• Engineered soil was utilized in the upper fountain area where visitors will be interacting with the water. The soil helps trees gain necessary nutrients.

From September 1953 until March 1954, a severe drought in Olathe forced water to be hauled to the city by rail or truck. Olathe’s primary source of water, the old Olathe Lake, now called Cedar Lake, had greatly deteriorated, becoming mostly silt. In September 1953, Olathe began planning for a new, larger water source for the city. A bond of $590,000 was approved in October 1953 to cover the estimated costs.

The lake was formed by damming up Cedar Creek and its drainage basin. The park was originally dedicated in 1959.