West Chicago Creek

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Morrison, CO, CO

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (94 reviews)

Season: May through October

West Chicago Creek Campground sits along its namesake creek at the base of Mount Blue Sky and is located off Highway 103 on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in central Colorado. It is a popular facility for hiking and fishing enthusiasts. Each site contains a tent pad, picnic table, charcoal grill and fire ring.

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

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

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

West Chicago Creek Campground sits along its namesake creek at the base of Mount Blue Sky with easy access to hiking trails into Mount Evans Wilderness and good fishing for rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Campers praise it as beautiful with amazing hiking experiences, though preparation is essential.

Wildlife alert: Red Fox, Bighorn Sheep, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Western Chipmunks, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and Common Raven present in the area.

Insider tips for West Chicago Creek: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 14-15 sites. Arrive fully self-contained: no water, electricity, showers, or cellular service available. Bring warm sleeping gear — it gets very cold at night at this elevation. The West Chicago Creek Trail and Hells Hole Trail (8 miles) are nearby hiking options.

Skip West Chicago Creek if: You need hookups or full amenities — only vault toilets and fire rings available.. You require cellular service or water access.. You prefer developed campgrounds with showers and electricity..

Best time to visit West Chicago Creek: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months per verified data..

Nearby campgrounds: Clear Lake Campground (CO), Echo Lake (Morrison, CO), Guanella Pass (Morrison, CO), Mestaa’Ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout (Idaho Springs, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at West Chicago Creek

Cell signal at West Chicago Creek (Morrison, 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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Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

West Chicago Creek

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Morrison, CO, CO★ 4.5 (94 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

West Chicago Creek Campground sits along its namesake creek at the base of Mount Blue Sky and is located off Highway 103 on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in central Colorado. It is a popular facility for hiking and fishing enthusiasts. Each site contains a tent pad, picnic table, charcoal grill and fire ring.

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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 hookups or full amenities — only vault toilets and fire rings available.✕ You require cellular service or water access.✕ You prefer developed campgrounds with showers and electricity.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 14-15 sites.

Arrive fully self-contained: no water, electricity, showers, or cellular service available.

Bring warm sleeping gear

it gets very cold at night at this elevation.

The West Chicago Creek Trail and Hells Hole Trail (8 miles) are nearby hiking options.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months per verified data.

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: Red Fox, Bighorn Sheep, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Western Chipmunks, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and Common Raven present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
801-226-3564· Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Getting there →

I-70 westbound, Idaho Springs exit #240 - Hwy 103. Go south for 6.5 miles and turn right on southwest Forest Service Road 188 (West Chicago Creek Road). Go 3 miles to campground. The last mile of dirt/gravel road is one lane with pull over's and contains two sharp switchbacks.

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 — Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does West Chicago Creek cost per night?+
West Chicago Creek costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is West Chicago Creek open?+
West Chicago Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does West Chicago Creek have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at West Chicago Creek?+
West Chicago Creek can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at West Chicago Creek?+
West Chicago Creek 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 West Chicago Creek?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at West Chicago Creek is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is West Chicago Creek open, and what are check-in times?+
West Chicago Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print 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 (94)
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 West Chicago Creek cost per night?+
What season is West Chicago Creek open?+
Does West Chicago Creek have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Clear Lake Campground

CO

From $23/night

Echo Lake

Morrison, CO

From $26/night

Guanella Pass

Morrison, CO

From $26/night

Mestaa’Ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout

Idaho Springs, CO

From $80/night

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