Chalk Lake Campground

Facilities

The campground offers single-family sites, a few of which are accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Accessible vault toilets are provided. Firewood is sold on-site. Sites: #4-9, and 14 "walk-up", first-come, first-served sites. All other sites are reservable. Site #1 is used by the host from mid-May to mid-September. After that time it is available as a "walk-up", first-come, first-served site.

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.

Natural feaures

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.

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.