Chatfield State Park

Planning a visit to Chatfield State Park? Below you will find park details, amenities, and upcoming tournaments and sporting events hosted at this venue, plus everything you need to plan your visit. Plan your day at Chatfield State Park

Venue Overview

Chatfield State Park sits at 11500 N Roxborough Park Rd in Littleton, at the mouth of Waterton Canyon where the South Platte leaves the mountains and spreads onto the plain. It covers 5,381 acres at an elevation of 5,450 feet and is managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Few places in the metro give an event this much room.

The park is open daily 5am to 10pm. The park office runs Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm, and the campground office is open daily 9am to 4pm. The reservoir closes December 1 and stays closed until ice-off, usually around March 1.

About the Grounds

The terrain is rolling plain built on alluvial cobble, gravel and sand, which drains fast and stays firm underfoot after weather that would turn softer ground to soup.

The reservoir is the centerpiece, and this is where the published numbers stop agreeing. CPW lists it at 1,355 acres on one page and 1,500 acres on another. Both come from the same agency, so treat the size as a range rather than quoting one figure.

Trail mileage carries the same split. The CPW stat block says 32.8 miles while body text on the same site says over 26 miles. The segments are better documented: the Chatfield Dam Trail runs 2.7 miles, paved and ADA accessible, and the Equestrian Loop is 3.2 miles. The internal network totals 26 miles open to hiking, biking and skating, with roughly 24 miles open to horses. Horses are barred from picnic areas, campgrounds and the swim beach.

Bird counts diverge too. CPW cites 345 species in one place, 212 or more in another.

The Water, the Dog Park and the Odd Corners

The marina rents slips and boats and hosts the floating Seagull's restaurant at 303-791-5555. The north boat ramp has 8 lanes and 4 courtesy docks; the south ramp has 2 lanes and 1 dock. The swim beach runs Memorial Day to Labor Day, sunrise to sunset, with no lifeguard.

A 69-acre fenced off-leash dog area holds two ponds, two parking lots and restrooms. A model airplane field has paved runways, and model rockets are not allowed. Big Horn Stables operates on site, and the park carries a permitted hot-air balloon launch site.

Facilities & Amenities

• 197 electric campsites across four campgrounds, plus 10 reservable group sites
• Marina Point group picnic area, 125 guests, $150, flush restrooms
• Riverside group picnic area, 125 guests, $150, flush restrooms
• Heronry Overlook, 350 guests, $100, covered platform shelter and vault toilets
• Fox Run, 75 guests, $100, portable toilets
• Grills, tables, horseshoe pits and volleyball poles at the group areas
• One EV charging station at the swim beach
• Marina with slip and boat rentals and the Seagull's floating restaurant
• 69-acre fenced off-leash dog area with two ponds and restrooms
• Model airplane field, Big Horn Stables and a permitted balloon launch site

Parking & Access

CPW does not publish parking space counts, so we will not guess at one. Fees are published, and an entrance fee is required. A daily vehicle pass runs $10 to $12 for a Colorado plate and $15 to $17 out of state, which CPW summarizes on its page header as $12 to $17. An individual daily pass is $4, an annual vehicle pass is $80, a family annual is $120, and the Keep Colorado Wild pass is $29. The off-leash dog area carries its own pass at $3 per day or $25 per year on top of the park pass.

Events & Programs

Bodies Race Company runs trail races here, including the Spooky Sprint and Turkey Trails. The mix of paved dam trail, soft singletrack and open picnic ground gives a race director real options in one place.

Planning Your Sporting Event Here

Two current conditions are worth checking before you commit a date. Reservoir tree-removal closures have been active, and Douglas County Stage 2 fire restrictions bar campfires and grill fires at developed picnic areas. Both change, so confirm status before you promise anyone a cookout. Any water component needs your own safety plan, since the beach has no lifeguard.

Hosting a Sporting Event at Chatfield State Park?

Races, weddings, fishing tournaments and balloon launches all require a Commercial Use Permit. Apply at least 90 days ahead. There is a $50 non-refundable fee, and applications go to chatfield.park@state.co.us. CPW does not publish named event staff here, so work through the park email address rather than a specific coordinator.

The park honors Edward Livingston Chatfield, who bought land at the confluence of Plum Creek and the South Platte in 1874 and died in 1924. After the June 1965 flood that killed 25 people, the Army Corps began the dam in 1967 and finished it in 1975.

Launch your sporting event here: coloradounderpar.com/submit-event