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Chatfield State Park

State Park in Littleton, CO

Hours:

Park: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Office: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Campground Office: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd.
Littleton, CO 80125
United States

Contact:

303-791-7275

[email protected]

Fun on land and water. That’s the draw at this park along the South Platte River where it flows out of the mountains onto the prairie at the mouth of Waterton Canyon.

Chatfield State Park

State Park in Littleton, CO

Fun on land and water. That’s the draw at this park along the South Platte River where it flows out of the mountains onto the prairie at the mouth of Waterton Canyon.

Hours:

Park: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Office: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Campground Office: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $​10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

  • Leashed Dogs
  • Service Animals
  • Horses

Park Address:

11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd.
Littleton, CO 80125
United States

Contact:

303-791-7275

[email protected]

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    Douglas and Jefferson County: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions -

    Stage 1 restrictions are currently in place with no open burning and no fireworks. Visit the Douglas and Jefferson Counties websites for more details.
    A serene view of the reservoir at sunset

    A serene view of the reservoir at sunset

    Park Highlight

    Explore Chatfield Reservoir

    ​​​​​​Boaters of all types — from water skiers to fishing enthusiasts to canoeists and sailors — enjoy Chatfield's 1,500 surface-acre Reservoir. Boat rentals, a floating restaurant and a marina are also available at Chatfield.

    Reservoir Facilities

    Facilities

      Boat Ramps

      The two boat ramps are available from March 2 (or when the ice is off) to November 30, annually. The North Boat Ramp is located on the northwest side of the reservoir and has 8 launch lanes and 4 courtesy docks. The South Boat Ramp is located on the southeast side of the reservoir and has 2 launch lanes and 1 courtesy dock.

      The courtesy docks are removed seasonally when ice forms on the lake.

      Marina

      Chatfield has a full-service marina offering slip rentals, boat rentals, boat storage and grill. Please contact the marina for information at 303-791-5555. Services are available seasonally.

      Swim Beach

      The swimbeach is open seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 

      Boating and Fishing

        Boating

        Boating

        Boating is among the park’s most popular activities. You can enjoy water skiing, sailing, fishing or just cruising on the reservoir. Motorized and sail boats are only allowed on the primary reservoir and prohibited on any other pond or body of water within the park.

        Reservoir Zones

        The reservoir can be quite busy during the summer season and is divided into use zones. The main body of the reservoir is the power zone. This area is for general boating and water skiing and has a counter clockwise direction of travel. There are two large no-wake zones at the southwest and southeast ends of the reservoir.

        Boating Capacity

        During times of peak use, the reservoir may reach boating capacity. When boating capacity is reached, rangers at the boat dock will not allow boats to launch until a vessel has left the reservoir.

        Hazards

        With the fluctuation of stream flows, boaters should always watch carefully for floating debris in the reservoir. During the off-season, many of the aids to navigation are not in place. Please recognize that not all hazards may be marked, so always use caution when boating.

        Fishing

        Fishing

        Springtime signals the start of open water fishing, and the park’s trout fishing is some of the best in the Denver area. Throughout the summer, walleye, bass, perch, crappie, catfish and an occasional trout are caught, with the best action early in the day or late at night. Colorado Parks and Wildlife periodically stocks the lake with rainbow trout and other fish.

        Ice Fishing

        Ice-fishing is available during the winter months. Please use caution when ice fishing. Have proper safety equipment and follow safety guidelines. During the winter, there are several "ice rescue stations" around Chatfield. They are marked by red poles with a tire and rope. 

        Fish Species and Bag Limits

        See the Fishing Atlas for fishable species at this location and the Fishing Brochure (PDF) for daily bag limits.

        Fishing Awards and Records for Chatfield

        Visit the Fishing Awards and Records page.

        Bring the Brochures with You

        Aquatic Nuisance Species at Chatfield

        To boat on the reservoir, a pre-launch boat inspection for aquatic nuisance species (ANS), an ANS stamp and a current boat registration are required. Two aquatic nuisance species are present at Chatfield Reservoir.

        Inspection icon

        Inspection Hours

        ​​​​​​​March: North ramp, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
        April: Both ramps, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
        May to September: Both ramps, Fri, Sat, Sun, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon to Thurs, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
        October: North and south ramps, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
        November: North ramp, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

        Water Activities

        A man on a green jet ski.

        Jet Skiing

        All persons on personal water crafts are required to wear a properly fitting personal flotation jacket. Jet skis do need to be inspected at the boat ramps for aquatic nuisance species (ANS). Currently, jet skis are not available for rent.

        A group of paddle boarders

        Paddle Boarding

        Paddle boarding is permitted at Chatfield on the reservoir as well as the gravel ponds. Life jackets required.

        A boat towing a water skiier.

        Water Skiing

        There must be another person on board designated as the look-out person to watch the water skier and raise a flag distinguishing if they are in the water. Skiing and towing inflatables need to observe the counter-clockwise direction of travel around the centerline buoys.