Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado, United States. The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including Plum Creek.
Colorado Fishing Guide. Published by Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Chatfield SP
https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Chatfield
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatfield_State_Park
Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado, United States. The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including Plum Creek.
C O L O R A D O
P A R K S
&
Chatfield State Park
W I L D L I F E
FACT SHEET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017
Who we are
Chatfield State Park is truly one of Colorado’s full-service outdoor recreation areas. We offer traditional outdoor
activities such as picnicking, boating, swimming, bicycling, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing and camping. We also
offer recreational pursuits that may be more unique to the area, such as open water swim practice, hot air ballooning, remote control model
airplane flying, and off-leash dog exercise. Nestled against the foothills southwest of Denver, the park is a “hot-spot” for all things recreation.
Visitors to Chatfield State Park spend over $48.9 million annually at local businesses.1
Top attractions
•
Campgrounds located near hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, with opportunities for wildlife viewing
•
Numerous water recreation opportunities, including fishing, boating, paddle boarding and swimming
•
A unique chance to fly a model airplane or go for a ride in a hot air balloon
Our partners
•
Audubon Society of Greater Denver
•
Jeffco Aeromodelers
•
Centennial Water & Sanitation
District
•
Lockheed Martin
•
Chatfield Ballooning Association
•
South Suburban Parks & Recreation
•
Chatfield Marina
•
South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
•
Chatfield Stables
•
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
•
Denver Water
•
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
•
Highlands Ranch Metro District
•
Sterling Ranch - Chatfield Community Association
Challenges we face
•
The Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project (CSRP), which will reallocate
20,600 acre feet of water storage (approximately 12 ft.) for municipal and
industrial water supply and other purposes (i.e., agriculture, environmental
restoration, recreation and fishery habitat protection and enhancement),
will have major impacts on the swim beach, marina and other park facilities
and infrastructure. It will also result in the loss of 587 acres of land due to
increased fluctuations in the levels of the reservoir.
•
Encroaching development is resulting in increased issues with trails, roads,
facilities and public safety. There is significant concern regarding impacts to
wildlife, development of social trails, light pollution and degradation of the
viewscape and natural areas.
Volunteer activities
•
Volunteer opportunities include serving as naturalists; campground hosts; trail hosts; natural resource, maintenance and office support;
and Dog-Off-Leash-Area ambassadors.
•
Annual volunteer recruitment open houses provide those interested with a chance to learn about all of the different opportunities available
at the park.
•
Other volunteer activities include Eagle Scout projects, large group projects and cooperative projects with the Audubon Society of
Greater Denver.
1Source:
Corona Research, Colorado State Parks Marketing Assessment, “Visitor Spending Analysis 2008-2009” (adjusted for inflation).
COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 cpw.state.co.us
KEN PAPALEO//HIGH COUNTRY COLORING
•
11500 N Roxborough Park Rd, Littleton, CO 80125
(303) 791-7275 • chatfield.park@state.co.us
Park Manager: Scott Roush
As of June 30, 2017
Manager’s message
Over the next several years, the way Chatfield looks may be changing, but not the recreational opportunities that we offer. As the area surrounding the park continues to change, protecting the resources of the park will become even more important. The Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project is currently underway, and it will benefit everyone along the Front Range by helping to meet the water demands of a growing
population. With the project’s planned recreational and environmental mitigation, Chatfield will remain a top destination for generations to
come. The Chatfield Staff invites you to come out and enjoy everything we have to offer.
Visitation
Annual: 1,708,113
Geography
Region: Northeast
County: Jefferson, Douglas
and Arapahoe
Year Acquired: 1975
Elevation: 5,430 ft
Miles From Denver: 15
Facilities
3 Boat Ramps
Boat Rental
Dump Station
4 Group Picnic Areas
Laundry
Marinas (seasonal)
Mooring/Docking
139 Picnic Sites
Showers (coin-operated)
Stables (year-round)
Acreage
Total Acres: 5,831
Governmental
US Cong Dist: 2nd & 4th
CO Senate: 16th, 26th & 30th
CO House: 22nd, 25th, 39th, & 43rd
Trails
Biking: 25.4 miles
Hiking: 26.7 miles
Horseback: 7.9 miles
Cross Country Skiing/
Snowshoeing: 26.7 miles
Total: 26.7 miles
Employees
Permanent: 16
Temporary: 57
Volunteers: 342
Volunteer Hours: 20,317
Roads
Paved: 33.3 miles
Unpaved: 1.6 miles
Recreation
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Ice Fishing
Jet Skiing
Ranger/Nature Programs
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)
Swimming
Walking
Water Skiing
Wildlife/Bird Viewing
Winter Camping
Camping
Campsites (electrical, seasonal): 51
Campsites (full-hookup, seasonal): 102
Campsites (full-hookup/electrical Nov-April): 44
Group Facilities (year-round): 10
Walden
Fort
Collins
Craig H
M
M
M
S
VESPER SPARROW
Lark Bunting
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper
Sparrow
SONG SPARROW
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated
Sparrow
Harris’s Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
DARK-EYED JUNCO
Lapland Longspur
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Greater White-fronted
Goose
Snow Goose
Y
Ross’ Goose
M
Eurasian Wigeon
W
Greater Scaup
M
Long-tailed Duck
(Oldsquaw)
W
Surf Scoter
W
Barrow’s Goldeneye
American Swallow-tailed
W
Kite
W
Mississippi Kite
Harris’s Hawk
Grosbeaks & Bunting
Red-shouldered Hawk
M Rose-breasted
Northern Bobwhite
Grosbeak
Dusky Grouse
S Black-headed Grosbeak Sandhill Crane
S Blue Grosbeak
Black-bellied Plover
S Lazuli Bunting
American Golden Plover
S Indigo Bunting
Snowy Plover
Piping Plover
Blackbirds & Orioles
Black-necked Stilt
Y RED-WINGED
Upland Sandpiper
BLACKBIRD
Whimbrel
Y WESTERN MEADOWLong-billed Curlew
LARK
Hudsonian Godwit
S Yellow-headed Blackbird Common Snipe
S Brewer’s Blackbird
Ruddy Turnstone
S COMMON GRACKLE
White-Rumped Sandpiper
S Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-necked Phalarope
S BULLOCK’S ORIOLE
Red Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Finches
Black-legged Kittiwake
Y HOUSE FINCH
Long-tailed Jaeger
W Pine Siskin
Laughing Gull
S Lesser Goldfinch
Mew Gull
Y American Goldfinch
Iceland Gull
M Evening Grosbeak
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Oldworld Sparrow
Glaucous Gull
Y HOUSE SPARROW
Sabine’s Gull
Caspian Tern
INFREQUENTLY SEEN
Least Tern
SPECIES
Long-billed Murrelet
Red-throated Loon
Ancient Murrelet
Yellow-billed Loon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Clark’s Grebe
White-winged Dove
Brown Pelican
Black-billed Cuckoo
American Bittern
Barn Owl
Least Bittern
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Great Egret
Short-eared Owl
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Northern Saw-whet Owl
Burrowing Owl
Common Poorwill
Black Swift
Chimney Swift
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Alder Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Vermilion Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Cassin’s Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Thick-billed Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo
Pinyon Jay
Clark’s Nutcracker
Chihuahuan Raven
Purple Martin
Bushtit
Bewick’s Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Long-billed Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Warbler
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Black-throated Green
Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Canada Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Ovenbird
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Dickcissel
Cassin’s Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Baird’s Sparrow
LeConte’s Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
McCown’s Longspur
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Snow Bunting
Bobolink
Rusty Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Purple Finch
Cassin’s Finch
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Birds of Chatfield
State Park and
Waterton Canyon
Information compiled by Hugh Kingery
and Frank & Jan Justice.
Updated by Joey Kellner
Drafted by Jennifer Steffen
2013
Date____________
Weather _____________
Locality____________________________________
Time ____________
Total Species __________
Observer(s)_________________________________
LEGEND
W - Winter
M - Migrant
S - Summer
Y– Year-round
Names of species frequently seen appear in all
capital letters
American Vultures
M Turkey Vulture
Eagles & Hawks
M Osprey
W Bald Eagle
W Northern Harrier
M Sharp-shinned Hawk
M Cooper’s Hawk
M Northern Goshawk
M Broad-winged Hawk
S Swainson’s Hawk
Y RED-TAILED HAWK
M Ferruginous Hawk
W Rough-legged Hawk
Y Golden Eagle
Falcons
Y AMERICAN KESTREL
W Merlin
M Peregrine Falcon
W Prairie Falcon
M Common Loon
Grebes
S Pied-billed Grebe
M Horned Grebe
M Eared Grebe
M WESTERN GREBE
Pelicans
M AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN
Cormorants
S DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT
Ibises
M White-faced Ibis
Swans, Geese, & Ducks
M Tundra Swan
M Greater Whitefronted Goose
Owls
Y CANADA GOOSE
Y Eastern Screech Owl
S Wood Duck
Y GREAT HORNED
W GREEN-WINGED
OWL
TEAL
Y Long-eared Owl
Y MALLARD
M White-winged Scoter
Bitterns & Herons
S Blue-winged Teal
S GREAT BLUE HERON M Northern Pintail
M Snowy Egret
S Cinnamon Teal
M Black-drowned Night
M Northern Shoveler
Heron
M Gadwall
M Green Heron
M American Widgeon
M Canvasback
Loons
M Redhead
M Pacific Loon
M Ring-necked Duck
M Lesser Scaup
W COMMON
GOLDENEYE
M Bufflehead
M Hooded Merganser
Y COMMON
MERGANSER
M Red-breasted
Merganser
M Ruddy Duck
Rails & Coots
Y Virginia Rail
S Sora
S AMERICAN COOT
Pheasants
Y Ring-necked Pheasant
Plovers
M Semipalmated Plover
Y KILLDEER
Avocets
M American Avocet
Sandpipers &
Phalaropes
M Greater Yellowlegs
M Lesser Yellowlegs
M Solitary Sandpiper
M Willet
S Spotted Sandpiper
M Marbled Godwit
M Sanderling
M Semipalm
COLORADO
PA R K S
&
WILDLIFE
Your Guide to
Colorado’s 41
State Parks
2018 Edition
cpw.state.co.us
CAMPING RESERVATIONS • 1-800-244-5613 • cpw.state.co.us
i
Welcome to Your State Parks!
Wherever you go in Colorado, there’s
Cheyenne Mountain
a state park waiting to welcome
State Park
you. Mountains or prairies, rivers or
forests, out in the country or next to
the city… Colorado’s 41 state parks are
as diverse as the state itself, and they
offer something for everyone. Take a
hair-raising whitewater river trip, or
kick back in a lawn chair and watch
the sunset. Enjoy a family picnic, cast
a line in the water, take a hike, ride a
horse, try snowshoeing or discover
geocaching. From Eastern Plains
parks at 3,800 feet to high-mountain
parks at 9,500, the network of state
parks offers a wealth of activities
for busy people of all ages, or the
chance to do nothing at all. You can play on land or on water. On
a high peak or on the prairie. In the country or the city. In spring,
summer, winter or fall.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
State parks are great places for families. There are plenty of
activities for families to enjoy together such as boating, hiking or
picnicking, as well as organized nature walks, talks and events.
Junior Ranger programs, activity backpacks, kid-friendly hikes
and fishing ponds for kids are among the many offerings for
youth. From toddler to teen and adult to senior, every family
member can enjoy their activity of choice, then come together to
share a meal and stories around the campfire.
Whether you’re an active
outdoor recreationist
or prefer to spend time
watching clouds go by,
you’ll enjoy the special
moments waiting for you
in the state parks.
Rifle Gap State Park
Cover photos:
Large photo: State Forest State Park; lower left: Pearl Lake State Park; lower center: Elkhead State Park;
lower right: Lory State Park
Plan Your Visit
Colorado’s state parks are open every day of the year, weather
permitting. Day-use areas are generally open from 5 a.m. to
10 p.m., and some parks may have closed gates after hours.
Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day. Contact individual
parks for hours of operation. Check our website for seasonal or
maintenance closures: cpw.state.co.us
Entrance Passes
All Colorado state parks charge an entrance fee. Cost of a daily
pass may vary by park ($7–$9). A pass covers all occupants of a
vehicle and is valid until noon the day after purchase. Some parks
may charge a per-person fee for cyclists and walk-ins. Fees are used
to help pay operating costs. Cherry Creek State Park charges an
additional fee for the Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority.
Annual Pass
Who doesn’t love a deal? And the state parks annual pass is a
great one. For just one low price, the annual pass lets you enjoy
all 41 state parks for unlimited visits for 12 months from date of
purchase. That’s all the parks. That’s
unlimited times. The annual pass
pays for itself in as few as 10 visits.
If you’re a Colorado resident who’s
64 years or older, there’s even a
further discounted Aspen Leaf
annual pass. There are also passes
for disabled and income-eligible
residents. For details and to purchase a pass,
visit a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) office, state park or buy
online: cpw.state.co.us
Extend Your Stay
Make more of your state park visit
by staying overnight. Bring your
tent or RV, spend a cozy night in a
cabin, camp in a tipi or discover a
comfortable, year-round alternative
State Forest State Park
to traditional camping with a yurt.
All together, the state parks have
more than 4,000 campsites and 58 cabins and yurts. Almost 300
campsites are ADA accessible. Many parks offer campsites or cabins
for large groups. Heated cabins and yurts make a park getaway
suitable any season of the year.
Camping Reservations
Summer weekends fill up quickly so advance reservations for
overnight stays are recommended. Reservations can be made six
months to three days ahead of arrival.
Reserve online: cpw.state.co.us
Toll Free: 1-800-244-5613
A nonrefundable reservation fee applies to bookings, and visitors
must purchase a daily or annual entrance pass in addition to
paying camping and reservation fees. Unreserved sites are
available on a first-come, first-served basis.
1
What Can I Do There?
Colorado’s state parks are places to have fun, get away, recreate and
re-create. Here are some park activities to help you do that:
Fishing
Top-notch fishing awaits anglers in 37 state parks across Colorado.
Think Gold Medal Waters and trophy fish. A valid fishing license
is required for all anglers 16 years and older. Licenses and our
annual Colorado Fishing regulations brochure are available online,
at most parks and at CPW authorized sales agents.
Water Sports
Many state parks are built around a lake or
Crawford
waterway, which means boating and other water
State Park
sports are among the headliners. Larger parks
offer boat rentals and full-service marinas. Any
boat with a motor or sail operated in Col