U.S. Forest Service · Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG · Morrison, CO

West Chicago Creek

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.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov16 sites40 ft maxNo hookupsPets ok

More like this: reservable in Colorado · big rigs in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
sample site 23sample siteWEST CHICAGO CREEK 2WEST CHICAGO CREEK5
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Harris Park Broadcast Rx (prescribed burn) · 14 mi away · 390 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups11
Tent-only2
RV, no hookups1
Host/management2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

14 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfacePeople / vehicles
002StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
004StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
005StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
006StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
007StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
008StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
009StandardBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
010RVBack-in32Gravel8 / 1
011Tent onlyGravel8 / 1
012Tent onlyGravel8 / 1

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length40 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

There are 15 sites available all suitable for RV and tent camping. Each site contains a tent pad, picnic table, charcoal grill and fire ring. Other amenities include a vault toilet, water spigot and trash dumpster. There are no RV hook-ups. Firewood is available for sale during peak season at the campground.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
Season5/19 to 9/17
ForestArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
BookingMake reservations at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
FeesCheck detailed information on www.recreation.gov or see general fees on the campground table.
RulesA single site may hold up to eight people. Tents must fit on the pads provided. RVs, trailers or other vehicles must fit on the parking spur. Driving or parking off road is not permitted. The parking length ranges from 30 to 45 feet. Dogs must be on leash.

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near West Chicago Creek20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.81 inches of precipitation, 12.5 inches of snowFebruary: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 12.6 inches of snowMarch: 1.39 inches of precipitation, 18.5 inches of snowApril: 2.33 inches of precipitation, 20.9 inches of snowMay: 2.13 inches of precipitation, 6.6 inches of snowJune: 1.54 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJuly: 2.49 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.18 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.52 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowOctober: 1.25 inches of precipitation, 7.5 inches of snowNovember: 0.89 inches of precipitation, 11.1 inches of snowDecember: 0.86 inches of precipitation, 14.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 25.9°F averageFebruary: 26.5°F averageMarch: 32.8°F averageApril: 37.9°F averageMay: 47.1°F averageJune: 57.0°F averageJuly: 62.9°F averageAugust: 60.5°F averageSeptember: 53.8°F averageOctober: 43.5°F averageNovember: 33.0°F averageDecember: 25.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Georgetown, 3 miles from the campground at 8,520 feet, station USC00053261 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 106 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, May 19 to September 17.

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.

Nearest townMorrison, Colorado
Coordinates39.6790° N, 105.6574° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Customers and contact center agents cannot modify reservations on or after the check-in date.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Harris Park Broadcast Rx

    14 mi from the campground · 390 acres

  • Prescribed
    O'Brien 2 Broadcast Rx

    50 mi from the campground · 267 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearClear Creek Outdoors ↗8.7 mi
Dump stationDump Station ↗17.4 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗24.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Campground Recon: West Chicago Creek (Idaho Springs, CO) - Know Before You Go!

Worth a stop

Nearby Idaho Springs, a former mining town, makes for a nice outing. History buffs will appreciate the Argo Gold Mine and Mill Museum.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1 mi
    Hells Hole
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    South Chicago Creek
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.5 mi
    Chicago Lakes
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Captain Mountain ↗
    8.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.9 mi
    Devil'S Canyon
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.2 mi
    Alpine Garden Loop
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Mount Evans Wilderness begins about 1.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

The campground sits at an elevation of 9,600 feet in an aspen and lodgepole pine forest. The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland are located in the foothills and slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The forests and grassland cover 1.5 million acres and extend north to the Wyoming border, south to Mount Evans and west across the Continental Divide. The area encompasses mountains, lakes and five scenic byways, designated by Congress for their scenery, wildlife or history, including the highest road in North America. Mount Evans Road, also known as Colorado Highway 5, allows visitors to drive from 10,500' to 14,130' above sea level in just 14 miles.

Recreation

The area provides easy access to many hiking trails that lead into the Mount Evans Wilderness. West Chicago Creek offers good fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout.

Guidebooks for Colorado

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at West Chicago Creek?

Sites at West Chicago Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. Make reservations at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at West Chicago Creek?

Check detailed information on www.recreation.gov or see general fees on the campground table.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at West Chicago Creek?

Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is West Chicago Creek open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season 5/19 to 9/17.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does West Chicago Creek have?

16 sites, including 11 standard sites without power, 2 tent-only sites, and 1 RV site without hookups.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at West Chicago Creek?

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at West Chicago Creek?

Yes, pets are allowed at West Chicago Creek. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at West Chicago Creek?

The area provides easy access to many hiking trails that lead into the Mount Evans Wilderness. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to West Chicago Creek?

Morrison, Colorado. Nearby Idaho Springs, a former mining town, makes for a nice outing.

Source: Getting there

What if West Chicago Creek is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Clear Lake Campground (3.3 mi, first-come), Echo Lake (3.6 mi), and Guanella Pass (5.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby