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: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 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: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 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]

Navigate to:

Reservoir Closure -

Reservoir closed to all boats and paddle craft.
 

Perimeter Trail Closure -

Beginning December 12, multiple day use areas, group picnic facilities, trails and shoreline access at the southwest corner of the reservoir will be closed due to dead and dying tree removal operations. For your safety, please use other picnic and day use facilities in the park during this closure. Trail use in the area must be avoided or rerouted to the bike lanes on the park road. For more information, please visit www.chatfieldreallocation.org.

Parking Area Closed for Construction -

The South lot of the Gravel Ponds Parking Area will be closed this winter from mid-November through spring for construction operations related to shoreline erosion control and access improvements. The North and Middle lots will remain open for use, but watch for construction traffic. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as we work to improve the facilities and ensure the sustainability of our natural resources.

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

    Boats may be launched at either of our two boat ramps. 

    The North boat ramps, located on the northwest side of the reservoir, have eight launch lanes and four courtesy docks.  

    South boat ramp, located on the southeast side of the reservoir, has two launch lanes and one courtesy dock. 

    The courtesy docks are available seasonally and will be removed when ice starts to form on the lake.

    Chatfield has a full service marina offering slip rentals, boat rentals, boat storage and Seagull’s restaurant. For information, please call the Marina  at 303-791-5555, email  [email protected] or visit the Chatfield Marina website. Services available seasonally.

    The Swimbeach is open seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours of operation are sunrise to sunset every day. Children under 12 must have adult supervision. No lifeguard on duty. Swim at your own risk.

    Boating and Fishing

      Boating

      Boating is among the park’s most popular activities. You can enjoy water skiing, sailing, fishing or just cruising on the reservoir.

      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.

      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

      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.

      Clean Your Gear: Fishing

      Help Protect Colorado Waters

      Clean Your Gear

      Cleaning your gear before and after use helps protect our water from aquatic nuisance species. Check out these videos to learn how to clean your fishing gear.

      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, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

      December 1 until ice off through March 1: Reservoir closed to all boats and paddle craft.

      Paddleboards, Kayaks and Caneos, Inflatable Watercraft

      Help Protect Colorado Waters: Clean Your Gear

      Cleaning your gear before and after use helps protect our water from aquatic nuisance species. Check out these videos to learn how to clean your paddleboard, kayak, canoe or inflatable watercraft.

      Clean Your Gear: Preventing the Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species in Colorado

      Clean Your Gear: Paddleboards

      Clean Your Gear: Kayaks and Canoes

      Clean Your Gear: Inflatable Watercraft

      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.