Soon after Lone Tree incorporated, the City's first Comprehensive Plan called for "a network of tree-lined streets and trails connecting attractive community facilities." Nearly three decades later, the City says that network is finally visible on the ground just east of I-25, around South Havana Street, RidgeGate Parkway and Happy Canyon Creek.
Most of it is still being built. The bike lanes, the creek bridge, the regional park and the grocery store each run on their own schedule, and they finish one at a time between now and late 2027. In the middle of that work zone sits the only piece that's already complete. Schweiger Ranch was finished long before any of the rest, and this weekend it hosts both of Lone Tree's big fall events.
Austrian immigrant brothers John, Joseph and Jacob Schweiger founded the ranch in 1874. The house, barn, stable and loafing shed went up after 1893 as the family grew. The complex also includes a silo, chicken coop, tractor shed and corral. Douglas County landmarked the property in 2004, and restoration ran from 2008 through early 2016.
The ranch doesn't keep regular weekly hours, so it's easy to drive past at 10822 S. Havana St. and never get inside. The Schweiger Ranch Foundation opens it to the public from June through October and again in December, with days and hours set by the event calendar. You can also request a private tour by email. This year's self-guided open days on June 20 and August 15 have already passed. That leaves this weekend as the main way in for the rest of the season:
After that, the next event inside the gates is Austrian Christmas on December 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The construction around the ranch can look like one big project. It's actually at least five, and the City's overview of the Havana corridor lays out how they connect.
These sites sit so close together that their construction zones overlap. The agencies and contractors have coordinated so that the same ground isn't torn up and restored more than once. That shared schedule is why the area feels half-finished right now, and it's also why the pieces should come together in a clear order.
| When | What you can use | Source of the date |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Schweiger Ranch on event days, The Groove Café, East/West Regional Trail | Ranch calendar, City of Lone Tree, Douglas County |
| October 2026 target | Happy Canyon Creek pedestrian bridge, not yet confirmed open | Douglas County staff report |
| Q4 2026 | Creek stabilization and new trail sections | City of Lone Tree project page |
| This winter | South Havana Street Bikeway | City of Lone Tree |
| 2027 | King Soopers and shops at Lone Tree Village | RidgeGate |
| Late summer 2027 | High Note Park Phase One | City of Lone Tree |
The new Happy Canyon Trail is still under construction, so it isn't a continuous route yet. If you're planning a loop, check what's actually open on site before you go.
Right now, the only place to eat or get coffee on this side of the work zone is The Groove Café at 10930 Lyric Street. It's part of the Lyric Amenity Center in Lyric at RidgeGate. The café serves coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner, then turns into a full-service restaurant and bar in the evening. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Local musicians play on the patio every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
The café opened to Lyric residents in May and to the public in June. General manager Alex Pavlenko runs it through BlueStar Resort & Golf, a boutique hospitality management firm.
"It's a place where you can come relax," Pavlenko told the Douglas County News-Press. "It's about providing a memorable experience."
Five chefs built the menu around classic American dishes with flavors from around the world. One thing to know before you go: anyone can visit the café, but the amenity center's pool, fitness building and gathering spaces are for Lyric homeowners only. Lyric covers 700 acres and is planned for about 1,900 homes, and the City says more than 100 are finished so far. So the café is serving a neighborhood that's still mostly under construction.
Once October ends, the ranch is mostly something you look at rather than walk into. Its Holiday Display of Lights runs from November 26, 2026, through January 24, 2027, ending when the National Western Stock Show does. You can watch from your car in the parking lot or along Havana Street. The gates stay closed during the display, and the Foundation points walkers to the East West Trail for a closer view.
Douglas County lists the East/West Regional Trail as open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, over about 27 miles one way. That window matters for a lights walk. In late December, an evening stroll after the display turns on has to fit inside it. The county also notes parking at the RidgeGate Trailhead, with trail connectors at RidgeGate Parkway and at Schweiger Ranch.
The first weekend of December packs in the most. Austrian Christmas at the ranch falls on Saturday, December 5. Lone Tree Merry Days runs December 4 through 6, centered on the Lone Tree Arts Center and the City Holiday Tree lighting. Once the Havana bikeway opens this winter, the ride between the light rail station area, the ranch and the creek trail gets dedicated lanes for the first time.
The City expects High Note Park Phase One to open in late summer 2027. Phase One alone will be the largest park in Lone Tree. It includes two lit synthetic multipurpose fields, a playground, a water play feature, community gathering spaces, a 200-seat beer garden, a food truck area, and a dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs. It also adds the new Happy Canyon Trail, linking to Schweiger Ranch and the East West Trail.
Groceries arrive the same year. RidgeGate projects that the 123,000-square-foot King Soopers at Lone Tree Village will open in 2027, along with about 31,000 square feet of shops along RidgeGate Parkway. By then, the bikeway, creek bridge and stabilized creek trail should all be finished. They'll lead to a park and a store, and Schweiger Ranch will sit between the two, much as it has since 1874.
Many of the households Steve works with are moving on a hospital start date, and timing matters as much as the house. Knowing whether a park, a trail link or a grocery store opens this winter or in late 2027 can change which streets are worth a look. If you're relocating to Lone Tree's east side and want help lining up your search with what's open now and what comes later, Steve Charlett and the Doctor Relocation team can walk you through it. Contact Us.
