U.S. Forest Service · White River National Forest · Carbondale, CO

Chapman Campground And Group

Situated above the Ruedi Reservoir, Chapman Campground sits at the base of a wide valley adjacent to the Fryingpan River in White River National Forest. Sites are surrounded by lodgepole pine, and several are at the river's edge, offering an ideal setting for visitors seeking recreation and relaxation.

Reservable · Recreation.gov84 sites99 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Chapman CampgroundCHAPMAN CAMPGROUND AND GROUPCHAPMAN CAMPGROUND AND GROUPCHAPMAN CAMPGROUND AND GROUP
Photos courtesy of Staff · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Willow · 12 mi away · 7,359 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups65
Tent-only8
RV, no hookups2
Group sites1
Host/management8
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.

76 sites in 8 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntrySurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
001ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
002ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
003ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
004ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
005ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
006ATent onlyBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
010CStandardBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
011CStandardBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
012CStandardBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes
013CStandardBack-inGravelPartial10 / 1Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length99 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Chapman Campground has 84 standard sites suitable for tents, trailers, and RVs. The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water located in Loops F, G & H. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Trash and recycling collection is provided. Chapman Group Site has one site available for reservation. There is no electric hook-up but potable water is available withing the campground at the fill station spigots. The Group Site facilities include: hardened parking for campers and passenger vehicles along the access road into the site. The site has 6 regular fire rings and 1 group size rock fire ring, 1 pedestal grill, 5 food lockers, 7 picnic tables, and a horseshoe pit. Vehicles must stay on the main road or pull outs. Vehicles are not allowed to travel into the woods. All camping in the woods must be hand carried.

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

Season & status

ForestWhite River National Forest
RulesMotorized watercraft is prohibited on Chapman Reservoir

White River National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Chapman Campground And Group10°20°30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 18.8°F averageFebruary: 20.7°F averageMarch: 28.1°F averageApril: 35.8°F averageMay: 45.6°F averageJune: 54.3°F averageJuly: 60.4°F averageAugust: 59.4°F averageSeptember: 51.6°F averageOctober: 42.2°F averageNovember: 28.9°F averageDecember: 19.2°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Meredith, 7 miles from the campground at 7,825 feet, station USC00055507 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Getting there

Take I-70 west of Denver to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Take exit 116 (Highway 82) south to Basalt. At Basalt, take Frying Pan Road. Go 29 miles to Chapman Campground.

Nearest townCarbondale, Colorado
Coordinates39.3083° N, 106.6331° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    12 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearUte Mountaineer ↗12.9 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗23.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

Chapman Campground - White River National Forest

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.3 mi
    Chapman Interpretive
    0.6 mi trail · hiking
  • 1 mi
    Norrie Powerline
    3.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1.1 mi
    Aspen-Norrie ↗
    6.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.2 mi
    Sawyer Lake ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.3 mi
    Chapman Lake
    1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.6 mi
    Nast E Lake
    0.2 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 →

This campground sits inside White River National Forest.

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

In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk. Scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. Alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live.

Recreation

Flowing through this campground is Fryingpan River, renowned for its fly fishing. Downriver, below the campground and Ruedi Dam, large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout are plentiful in an area nicknamed the "toilet bowl." Here, the fish feed on mysis shrimp, a small freshwater shrimp stocked in the lake. The stretch of river from the dam down to the confluence of Fryingpan and the Roaring Fork River has been designated as Gold Medal Waters by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Special regulations in this area include fishing only with artificial flies and lures, and releasing all trout except brown trout, with a limit of 2 fish over 14 inches. Chapman Reservoir is also an option for anglers wanting to cast lines in at its shore. Motorized watercraft is prohibited on Chapman Reservoir. A horseshoe pit and volleyball court encourage game playing. A nature trail can be accessed from the site.

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 Chapman Campground And Group?

Sites at Chapman Campground And Group are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Chapman Campground And Group?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Chapman Campground And Group have?

84 sites, including 65 standard sites without power, 8 tent-only sites, 2 RV sites without hookups, and 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Chapman Campground And Group?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Chapman Campground And Group?

Yes, pets are allowed at Chapman Campground And Group. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Chapman Campground And Group?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Motorized watercraft is prohibited on Chapman Reservoir

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Chapman Campground And Group?

Flowing through this campground is Fryingpan River, renowned for its fly fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Chapman Campground And Group?

Carbondale, Colorado.

Source: Getting there

What if Chapman Campground And Group is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Elk Wallow Campground (2.7 mi, first-come), Dearhamer Campground (6.7 mi), and Little Mattie Campground (10.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby