Chatfield Reservoir – Fun Colorado Style!
Chatfield Reservoir is one of the coolest man-made parks in the country. This park has it all, from camping and events, to motorized boating, rentals, horseback riding, hiking and swimming! Located in Littleton, Colorado the reservoir was created by damming up the South Platte River for purposes of flood control after a disastrous incident in 1965. On top of being popular for recreation, the Chatfield Reservoir also serves as one of several water supplies for the City of Denver. Completed in 1975, the park is regularly maintained and visitors are encouraged to learn more about some of the ongoing efforts being made through construction projects, which are meant to maintain the facility’s amenities, as well as the integrity and functionality of the dam. The best part about Chatfield State Park is not its absolutely stunning surroundings, but rather the enormous grounds and tons of opportunities for fun.
The swimming beach is located via the west entrance, right off of Highway 470, along with tons of great picnic spots. They have recently removed the fence that used to surround the beach which gives everything a nice open feel now. The beach here is pretty rocky, but they do a great job of keeping it clean. I would just plan to bring your swim shoes and you will be fine. The showers cost money, so you will also want to bring some quarters with you if you plan to get cleaned up there after swimming. The best part of the beach is the fantastic views of the water and boats all around you.
The marina is located on the east side of the reservoir and offers everything you need to get your boat on the water. In addition to having gas docks and slips, they also have a concessions store and a small restaurant. And if that was not enough, you can rent paddle boats and canoes, as well as charter a sunset cruise too!
The grounds feature beach access for boats and waverunners along the shore in several spots, a small river channel, a separate dog beach with no wake boat access, and tons of trails perfect for hiking and biking. There are many pull-offs as you drive around the reservoir that offer shaded picnic tables and handicap access as well! In fact, there are several handicap accessible campsites available too.
The camping is not your deepwoods type of camping, but there are some trees for shade. Campfires are usually permitted in designated fire pits provided there are not any current state bans in place. Regular entrance to the park is $8 per car and camping fees are based on what kind of site you reserve. There are showers, laundry facilities, toilets, clean water hookups, and waste disposal pumps as well. In addition to fun in Colorado sun, horseback riding, model airplane aviation, and dog water training are hugely popular at Chatfield.
So whether you are into cycling, hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, rafting, camping or bird watching; Chatfield Reservoir is a great place to spend a day! Come by yourself or with a group for a day or an entire week, but whatever you decide you can be sure a getaway at Chatfield Reservoir and State Park will make for fantastic family memories!