Chalk Lake Campground

Soft, white kaolinite canyon walls define the setting for Chalk Lake Campground, which sits at 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon beside the namesake lake. Part of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests (PSICC), this facility offers single-family sites equipped with picnic tables and campfire rings, alongside accessible vault toilets. Firewood is sold on-site, though no power hookups are available. The campground balances reservable spots with first-come, first-served options; sites #4-9 and #1 are walk-up areas, with site #1 serving as the host spot from mid-May to mid-September. Anglers target rainbow, brook, and brown trout in Chalk Lake or above Cascade Falls on Chalk Creek. The Cascade Loop Trail runs directly across the street, while the Chalk Creek Trailhead lies two miles east, providing access to the nearly 500-mile Colorado Trail. Off-road vehicle enthusiasts frequent nearby routes including Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, and Hancock Lakes. The location places visitors 15 minutes from the historic ghost town of St. Elmo and a short drive to Salida and Buena Vista, with the Arkansas River and fifteen 14,000-foot peaks within reach.