Chatfield State Park Campground

Yes, you can camp at Chatfield State Park, and a reservation is required. The campground has 197 sites spread over four camping areas, every one with an electric hookup, and 146 with full hookups (water and sewer) from mid-April to mid-October. There are also 10 group sites for up to 36 people. Sites cost $36 to $41 a night, and each vehicle also needs a Colorado state park pass. Book up to six months ahead at cpwshop.com or 1-800-244-5613; the park office can't take campsite bookings.

What Each Campsite Has

Sites sit in native grass within walking distance of the reservoir. CPW lists these on every site or in the loops:

• An electric pedestal at every site, with 20-, 30- and 50-amp service.
• A picnic table, a fire ring and a grill.
• Level parking on asphalt. All vehicles and trailers must stay on the paved pad.
• Flush toilets, and a camper services building with coin-operated showers and laundry.
• A dump station near the campground. Registered campers use it free; others pay a fee.

Full Hookup vs. Electric-Only Sites

Full hookups (water and sewer as well as power) run seasonally, from about mid-April to mid-October, depending on temperatures. Electric-only camping is available all year. If you need water at your site, book inside that window; outside it, fill your tank at the dump station, which stays open for potable water year-round.

How Reservations Work

1. Go to cpwshop.com (search for Chatfield) or call 1-800-244-5613.
2. Pick a site up to six months before your arrival date.
3. Buy or bring a park pass for every vehicle. A camping permit does not replace the pass.
4. Check in from 1 p.m. on arrival day; check out by noon on departure day.

Reservations are required, so don't count on walking up to a site. Calling Chatfield State Park directly won't get you a booking for either individual or group sites.

Site Limits and Campground Rules

• Up to six people per site.
• Up to two sleeping units: two tents, or one hard-sided camper and one tent.
• Camp only in designated sites.
• Quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and generators must be off during them.
• Stays are capped at 14 days in any 28-day period.
• Dump wastewater only at the dump station; dumping dishwater or sewage anywhere else is illegal.
• No amplified sound, including amplified instruments, in the group camping area.

Group Campsites

Chatfield has 10 reservable group sites. Each holds up to six camping units (tents or RVs) and up to 36 people, with four electrical pedestals and one water hydrant per site, plus showers and restrooms. Book them the same way, through cpwshop.com or 1-800-244-5613.

Winter Camping

Winter camping is open but limited. Only C-Loop (sites 103 to 153) stays open, and reservations are still required. The D-Loop restrooms, showers and laundry stay open for winter campers even though the D-Loop sites themselves close. Water hookups are shut off from mid-October until early April.

Big Rigs: Use the Plum Creek Entrance

The Deer Creek entrance has a 13-foot height limit. If your RV or trailer is taller, come in through the Plum Creek entrance at 11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd., Littleton (Entrances & Directions).

Dogs and Horses at Camp

Leashed pets are welcome at campsites on a leash no longer than six feet. Don't tie them to signs, trees, shrubs or hydrants, and never leave them alone. If you bring a horse, campers may leave it overnight in the corrals on the park's west side, about 2 miles from the campground (Horseback Riding).

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: RV campers who want hookups inside the Denver metro area, families who want the swim beach and trails a short walk away, and groups planning a reunion weekend.

Maybe skip if: you want backcountry tent camping. These are developed, reservation-only sites in open native grass inside the Denver metro area. A picnic instead? See the reservable group picnic areas.