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| Unbounded paddling on the Platte River Inlet |
Historically, Chatfield's water level was maintained around an elevation of 5432. In 2019, the park completed a significant amenity reconstruction and relocation project to anticipate higher water levels. For a few months at a time since then, the lake has risen up to 5435, opening up many acres of fantastic glades to paddlers. However, May 2023 is the first time that the water reached its new operational maximum of 5444 under the re-allocation program. The vast majority of the reservoir's footprint expansion is top-notch paddleboarding waters. Nearly all of it is wake-free! And it adds many, many more acres of shady, inundated woodlands.
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| Chatfield Water Elevation 2018-2023 [source: https://www.dwr.state.co.us/Tools/Stations/CHARESCO] |
Chatfield Lake
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The following areas of Chatfield Lake are great places to tour its newest waters by paddleboard. Scroll down to track these places on an interactive map, or click here for the official park map.
Plum Creek
Several years ago, before stand-up-paddleboarding achieved its current popularity, the Plum Creek arm of Chatfield was more afterthought than destination. At the 5432 water level, the Roxborough Cove site was the standard access to the Plum Creek Arm, with a short walk down to the water's edge. Neighboring Plum Creek picnic site was high and dry, and of minimal use to paddleboarders. With water elevation raised to 5444, both access points are right at the shoreline. This part of the lake has much greater visibility from park roads at high water. Consequently, the Plum Creek arm is no longer the secret that it once was. The water can look quite busy on summer weekends. But most paddlers stay fairly close to the shore, so it doesn't take long to find a place that feels more secluded in the watery forest.
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| Plum Creek Arm May 3, 2023 |
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| Plum Creek Arm June 7, 2023 |
The Plum Creek arm has the largest area of inundated woodlands on the lake. It feels like one could get seriously lost among the maze of trees, especially when in the middle part of the forest. Fortunately, the Plum Creek patch is surrounded by three perimeter landmarks that aid in orientation: the dam, the west shoreline, and the open water. If you can see the open waters of the reservoir, go left to get back to Roxborough Cove or Plum Creek Picnic Area. If you're facing the western shoreline and the mountains, go right. If you can see the dam through the trees ahead, turn around to get back to start.
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| Plum Creek's trees in April |
Bridge / Gravel Ponds
The Platte River Lot, just east of the Gravel Ponds / Kingfisher junction, has traditionally only afforded fishing or hiking access. At the 5432 water level, the river inlet is navigable from the north side to within a couple hundred feet of the bridge, but not underneath. But at 5444, the bridge becomes a paddler's link between the main lake and the exciting Platte River Inlet. The higher water level makes the lesser-known Platte River Lot a great portal into one of Chatfield Lake's best new wonderlands. A boat launch next to the bridge accommodates travel southward up the inlet or under the bridge toward the main lake body. The riverway is an especially novel paddle. It traces a meandering, open alley buttressed by mature cottonwoods.
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| Gravel Ponds May 3, 2023 [screenshot: apps.sentinel-hub.com] |
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| Gravel Ponds June 7, 2023 |
Another interesting outing from the Platte River Lot is to paddle southwest--across the river and through the trees on the opposite side. Depending on your previous travels here, you may find yourself in a familiar place with an unfamiliar vista. The new western shoreline of the of the inundated river inlet is actually the Gravel Ponds access road. Gravel Pond 1 is a stone's throw over the bank, and Gravel Pond 2 has been swallowed up entirely by the lake. In fact, it is now possible to put in at the southeast corner of the Gravel Pond Lot and paddle across the inlet and under the bridge to anywhere on the main lake.
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| South Platte River Inlet, June 2023 |
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| Beautiful Cottonwoods along the Platte |
Kingfisher
The inviting bay at the lake's south end, best accessed from Kingfisher lot, is a great paddle spot at any water level. It has experienced quite a bit of variation since the 2019 completion of the park's amenities reconstruction. Historically, at the 5432 level, it has been a narrow, protected finger flanked by deciduous woodlands. By spring of 2021, with the water's rise to 5435, the southern bay had expanded across the adjacent glades. As recently as October 2022, a drop in water level to 5429 had disconnected the southern bay from the rest of the reservoir body. Eight months later, in June 2023, spring runoff swelled the bay to within yards of the relocated road and bike path. At the 5444 water level, Kingfisher is a gateway to many acres of wake-free glades, alleys and meadows. The South Platte River inlet is easily reached by poking through the trees to the east. It is now a much shorter trip than paddling around the peninsula that bounded the bay for many years.
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| South Bay May 3, 2023 [screenshot: apps.sentinel-hub.com] |
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| South Bay June 7, 2023 |
West Side
Recreation sites on the west side of Chatfield that might have limited interest for paddleboarders at low water become much more inviting when the water is high. This can be especially useful on bust summer days when parking areas at Chatfield's traditional paddle spots are full. The areas on the west side are more exposed to wind-created waves than the highly protected southern bays, but all of the adjoining open water areas are wake-free. Be cautious about paddling out to the open waters of the reservoir, as winds can crop up suddenly and violently, and it may be difficult to paddle back to shore against a headwind.
Catfish Flats is the southernmost access on the lake's west side and the next site north from Kingfisher. In addition to having tree areas just offshore, it has good access to the southern bay and its surrounding glades. Catfish Flats is a logical Plan B when Kingfisher is full.
Fox Run and Jamison are between Catfish Flats and the swim beach. Both sites offer easy access to a broad, gladed cove on Chatfield's west shore.
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| Watery woodlands in the South Bay |
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| Exploring the lake's newest waters |
The Deer Creek site is just north of the T-intersection with the west entrance road. When the water level nears 5444, the adjacent stream inlet (Deer Creek) fills up and provides another area of shady, woodland paddling. This area of the park is busier with non-SUP recreation than those above, but the inlet's trees and topography still offer a good level of insulation from other park activities.
If you haven't been to Chatfield yet in 2023, it is well worth a re-visit or three. It still has all the familiar paddle places, but some areas look a LOT different! While it's generally best to get out early, mid-week, or off-season, it is now much easier to get away with going during peak times. There is always room on the water for everybody, and now there's even more! Have fun exploring and stay safe.
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