Chalk Lake, near Salida, Colorado, is a charming spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. With its picturesque mountain views and the soothing sound of a nearby creek, it’s a great place to unwind and enjoy the great outdoors.

The campground offers 18 sites, perfect for tents and small RVs, though some sites are a bit close together. Visitors often rave about the clean facilities, including pit toilets and a hand pump for water, making it a comfortable spot for a rustic camping experience. As one camper noted, “The views are beautiful, and the creek right next to the campground adds to the charm.”

For adventure seekers, there’s plenty to do nearby. You can hike to stunning waterfalls or explore the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just a short drive away. Fishing in Chalk Lake is also a popular activity, with trout often making an appearance. 

While the campground lacks showers and electric hookups, many campers appreciate the simplicity it offers, keeping the atmosphere relaxed and friendly. If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat with breathtaking scenery, Chalk Lake is definitely worth considering.

## Overview

 Chalk Lake\_\_Campground is located in beautiful Chaffee County, Colorado. This popular facility sits near Chalk Lake and is within 4 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. \"First come, first served\" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly. 
## Recreation

 Chalk Lake is located next to the campground and is a great family fishing spot with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Motorized boats are not allowed on the lake. Chalk Creek also offers fishing, and it's best above Cascade Falls. Plenty of off-road vehicle trails are near the campground. Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, and\_\_Hancock Lakes. The Cascade Loop Trail is located across the street from the campground. The Chalk Creek Trailhead\_\_ is about 2 miles east of the campground which gives hikers access to the extensive Colorado Trail, which extends nearly 500 miles from Denver to Durango.
## Natural Features

 The campground\_\_sits at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including chipmunks, hummingbirds, birds of prey and mule deer. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just 15 minutes from the campground. An old saloon, county courthouse and many other historic structures remain from the days of its mining glory. Rock hounds come to the area in search of quartz and aquamarine. The city of Salida and Town of Buena Vista are only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops, incredible art galleries and a large selection of antique shops. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak in, as well as fifteen 14,000 ft mountains. Visitors can choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATV/UTV riding, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, zipping and swimming.
## Charges & Cancellations

 Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Chalk Lake

Searching for the best camping near Nathrop, CO? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Nathrop, reviewed by campers like you.

Nathrop

The Best Camping Near Nathrop, Colorado

Much of Colorado takes a camping time out all the while allowing those die hard campers to still pass through the area and appreciate their many facilities for Day use. Chalk Creek is one of those as Chalk Lake caters to those wanting to catch the fall leaves and even fish in the area beyond the warm season.

I must say it is well worth braving the chilly elements to catch the cotton candy pink skies for a sunset in the mountains. I took a tour of the area all the way to St. Elmo and found the beauty of the area to be unsurpassed. Of course with limited facilities available for restrooms and showers it made camping primitive and at your own risk.

it was surreal how quiet the mountains were after a light dusting of snow and park rangers were few and far between as though they too had rolled up the carpet of tourism.

i would appreciate seeing this area again when it is fully functioning however enjoying the fall months made me have such a unique experience.

Seasonal camping

Loved this spot. Its got all my must haves - classic mountain views, sleeping to the sound of running water, tall pines and awesome camp host. The fact that it doesn't have showers or electrical hookups are a plus as well because it keeps out the riffraff. Finally, don't miss heading up the road to tour the ghost town of St Elmo for a glimpse into hard scrabble mountain life.

Classic Colorado

We stayed here for 3 nights in July.  The campground is one of three National Forest Service campgrounds in Chalk Canyon.  The canyon is a west of Northrop Co.  The base of the canyon has a couple of hot springs resorts with swimming pools and hotel rooms.  The 3 NFS campgrounds are about half way up the canyon near Chalk Lake.  You can continue up the canyon to St Elmo and the Alpine Pass which over 11,000 ft altitude.   Chalk Lake Campground has about 18 sites.  Most of the sites are situated along a fast running canyon creek.  The sites are very close to each other and lack privacy.  The camp host was very helpful and had plenty of firewood for sale.  Many of the campers came either for the hiking or the fishing at Chalk Lake.  We had site 16 which had some privacy and a nice view of the mountains.   The sites are best suited for tent campers but will accommodate vans and small trailers. The Mountain View’s here are incredible and the hummingbirds are all over the camp.  The camp is very popular and reservations are a must.  We plan to come back in the Fall.  

Nice Canyon Campground 

Camp was well maintained--bathrooms very clean.  We unfortunately had one of the few awful sites.  Felt like we were in a commune.   Sites 3,4 and 5 are lined up like a parking lot.    Was only supposed to be 3 sites, but the camp host allowed a 4th one to be there as well.  It was very frustrating because it was already so cramped.

  

There is a wonderful creek that is right next to campground and the views are beautiful.  Just beware of the parking lot sites!

Don't get sites 3, 4 or 5

We are camping here again soon and are really looking forward to it. Our fam has been hitting this campground for over 10 years. The river and scenery are great. Nearby hiking to waterfall. The campground just has vault toilets (I know suck it up ;). but we always hit the Mt. Princeton hot springs and make use of those showers. The lake is fun and usually has trout. St Elmo ghost town nearby. Can’t go wrong with this site. 

Excellent place to camp!

Fees: $22.00 tents on tent pad only $7.00 day use only fee if not camping 

Fee station available fees are payable by cash, check or money order 

Check out 12:00 noon Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am 

Number of sites 18 

Open mid May- end of Sept 

Picnic table, fire ring/grill, trash, pit toilet, handpump for water 

Before Memorial Day sites may be FCFS and hosts and water may not be available. During peak season dates, some sites can be reserved by calling 800-444-6777 or on line at recreation.gov

Small trailers, RV's or tents as the sites are small. If you are not able to obtain a campsite you are not allowed to camp anywhere going up the mountain but if you go on up to St Elmo you might find some dispersed camping. 

There are amazing mountain views with a beautiful stream running quickly down hill. The drive up the mountain and down is one of the best around. The trip up you may anticipate arriving in St Elmo, a 1800 ghost town. At the base of the mountain you will find the Chalk Bluffs. Some sites in the campground have shade, some do not but great for solar. 

Directions: From Buena Vista, Colorado, take Highway 285 south for 7 miles to County Road 162. Turn west on County Road 162, traveling 8 miles to the Chalk Lake Campground

 LNT 

Better than when you found it 

Stay safe, travel happy

Mountain Delights

The camp hosts was fantastic and very friendly. The site was clean and it had the cleanest bathrooms I’ve had a campground. Great view’s of Mount Princeton and surrounding mountains. Easy to get to, quiet and had bear lockers to store your food in. We’ll definitely spend time there again should be in the area. 

Photos of Chalk Lake

Real photos from real campers