Chatfield State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Littleton, and is only about 20 miles southwest of the city of Denver. The park offers hiking, biking, camping, and boating with scenic views of the Platte River Valley and foothills.
Chatfield Reservoir is the primary feature of the park, with its nearly 1500-acre body of water offering excellent boating opportunities for motorboats, jet skis, sailboats, paddle boarding, kayaks, and more. Chatfield has a full-service marina on the reservoir that offers slip rentals, boat rentals, and boat storage for those who want to house their watercraft on-site.
Activities
There is a large variety of activities available to Chatfield State Park visitors. The reservoir offers a bevy of watersports, while the surrounding grounds provide everything from horseback riding to model airplane flying to hot-air ballooning. Here are some highlights of the many things to do at Chatfield park:
Boating At Chatfield State Park
Boating is among the park’s most popular activities. Visitors can enjoy water skiing, sailing, fishing or just cruising on the reservoir. Boats may be launched at either of the park’s two boat ramps. The main body of the lake is open to powered boats, with two no-wake zones on the southern end of the reservoir that are perfect for fishing, canoeing, paddle boarding, or just relaxing.
Swimming At Chatfield State Park
There is a swimming beach seasonally open from Memorial Day weekend (May) through Labor Day weekend (September). It is open during daylight hours, but there is no lifeguard on duty, and children under 12 require adult supervision at all times.
Hiking At Chatfield State Park
Chatfield park offers around 26 miles of trails, with 12 of those miles having paved surfaces. Pets on the trails are required to be on a leash. Binoculars for birding and insect repellent are recommended to maximize your enjoyment on the hike.
Here are some of the trails at Chatfield State Park:
- Chatfield Internal Trails Network – This trail system is open to foot traffic, cyclists, and skaters. There are a variety of connecting trails, with about 10 miles of them paved. Length: 26 miles Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
- Chatfield Dam Trail – This trail is mostly paved, used for hiking and biking, and open to pets. Length: 2.7 miles Degree of Difficulty: Easy
- Chatfield Equestrian Loop – This is primarily and equestrian trail, but people on foot and riding bikes do use some parts of the trail loop. Length: 3.2 miles Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Biking At Chatfield State Park
Chatfield State Park offers 26 miles of bicycle trails for cycling enthusiasts. Twelve of the trails have paved surfaces, while the others are more suited to mountain bikes. Pedestrians and horseback riders also use the trails, so bike riders will be required to yield the right of way to slower traffic.
Fishing At Chatfield State Park
Chatfield Reservoir offers ample fishing opportunities for anglers. The lake maintains a healthy population of trout and bass, as the Colorado Parks and Wildlife team regularly stocks the reservoir with rainbow trout and other species. Fishermen also land crappie, yellow perch, walleye, carp, channel catfish, bluegill, and more. Open water fishing begins in the spring, with the best fishing action happening early in the morning or late in the evening. Fishing licenses are needed, but can be purchased at the park.
Birding At Chatfield State Park
Birdwatching is a favorite activity of many visitors to Chatfield. Birders have identified 212 bird species on the grounds of the park, either as permanently or as migratory visitors. These include the Bald Eagle, the White Pelican and the hard to spot Burrowing Owl.
Pets At Chatfield State Park
Chatfield is a pet-friendly park, offering an off-leash area that provides 69 acres of fully fenced open space for dogs and their owners to exercise. That area including two ponds and several miles of both paved and unpaved walking trails. A fee is required to use the off-leash area, and pets must be under voice-control while off the leash.
Camping At Chatfield State Park
Chatfield offers 197 camp sites for visitors that want to spend the night. The sites are all surrounded by native grass, provide grills and picnic tables, and are located within easy walking distance to the reservoir. 146 camp sites are full hook-up locations with sewer, water, and electricity, while the remaining sites are electric hookup only. These sites are suitable for RV camping, and also tenting. There are also 10 group camping areas available.
Park Location
Chatfield State Park
11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd.
Littleton, CO 80125
Phone: 303.791.7275
Website
Reservations
Map
Video
Here is an interesting video of different attractions at Chatfield State Park:
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