Chalk Lake

PSICC — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: SALIDA, CO, CO

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (85 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/chalk-lake to be notified when sites open up.

Chalk Lake Campground sits near Chalk Lake in beautiful Chaffee County, Colorado and is within 4 miles of a private hot springs resort. The facility offers fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, gold panning, and rafting activities.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Red Fox, Abert's Squirrel, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Hairy Woodpecker, American Robin, Evening Grosbeak, and American Pipit are documented in the area.

Insider tips for Chalk Lake: Book early as a federal campground with high demand Arrive on weekdays (Monday-Wednesday) for better availability Bring firewood or plan to purchase it on-site

Skip Chalk Lake if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs. You prefer first-come, first-served without reservation stress - this popular campground fills quickly.

Best time to visit Chalk Lake: May-October — Verified seasonal operations period. Weekdays — Campground normally full starting Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday.

Nearby campgrounds: Cascade (Colorado) (SALIDA, CO), Mount Princeton (SALIDA, CO), Bootleg (Nathrop, CO), Iron City (Nathrop, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Chalk Lake

Cell signal at Chalk Lake (SALIDA, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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PSICC — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Chalk Lake

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SALIDA, CO, CO★ 4.5 (85 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites4 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs✕ You prefer first-come, first-served without reservation stress - this popular campground fills quickly

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as a federal campground with high demand

Arrive on weekdays (Monday-Wednesday) for better availability

Bring firewood or plan to purchase it on-site

Best: May-October

Verified seasonal operations period

Best: Weekdays

Campground normally full starting Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule Deer, Red Fox, Abert's Squirrel, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Hairy Woodpecker, American Robin, Evening Grosbeak, and American Pipit are documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From Buena Vista, Colorado, take Highway 285 south to Nathrop. Turn west on County Road 162 and travel 8 miles to the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — PSICC fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at PSICC before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Chalk Lake cost per night?+
Chalk Lake costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Chalk Lake open?+
Chalk Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Chalk Lake have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Chalk Lake?+
Chalk Lake can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Chalk Lake?+
Chalk Lake is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Chalk Lake?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Chalk Lake is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Chalk Lake open, and what are check-in times?+
Chalk Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service ConcessionairePrint Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$25 /night★ 4.5 (85)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Chalk Lake cost per night?+
What season is Chalk Lake open?+
Does Chalk Lake have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cascade (Colorado)

SALIDA, CO

From $25/night

Mount Princeton

SALIDA, CO

From $25/night

Bootleg

Nathrop, CO

From $20/night

Iron City

Nathrop, CO

From $22/night

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