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. The Fryingpan River, which flows through the campground, is 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," where 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 the Fryingpan and the Roaring Fork has been designated Gold Medal Waters by the Colorado Wildlife Commission; special regulations there 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 another option for anglers casting from shore, and motorized watercraft is prohibited there. A horseshoe pit and volleyball court encourage game playing, and a nature trail can be accessed from the site. Chapman Campground has 84 standard sites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs, equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets and drinking water located in Loops F, G and H. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Trash and recycling collection is provided. The Chapman Group Site has no electric hook-up, but potable water is available within the campground at the fill station spigots. Facilities include hardened parking for campers and passenger vehicles along the access road into the site, 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 and are not allowed to travel into the woods; all camping in the woods must be hand carried. 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 abounds: bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk, scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout, and alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan.