Chatfield State Park

Chatfield Reservoir lies on the South Platte River at its confluence with Plum Creek, near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains about 25 miles southwest of downtown Denver.

The dam and reservoir are owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The Corps leases 5,381 land and water acres to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to operate Chatfield State Park. The Corps has leased separate portions of its Chatfield property to CPW for fish production and rearing areas, and to the City and County of Denver, which in turn has a management agreement with Denver Botanic Gardens.

Chatfield is one of the most visited state parks in Colorado, averaging more than 1.6 million visitors annually. The park includes a full-service campground, miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, horse stables, a model airplane field and a hot air balloon port, all of which are located around a popular lake with boating, fishing, swim beach and a full-service marina.

Chatfield’s diverse ecosystems, expansive trail system, top-notch boating and extensive opportunities for resource education and interpretation make it a valuable park in the metro area.