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A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service group campground

Chris Park

Forest Service group campground in San Juan National Forest, La Plata County, Colorado. 7,826 feet. 17.4 miles from Rico.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service San Juan National Forest
Elevation
7,826 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
2 2 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
La Plata County

Overview

Chris Park is located near Haviland Lake in southwestern Colorado, 18 miles north of Durango. Visitors enjoy the area for its hiking, canoeing and fishing opportunities.

Recreation

Several trailheads are in the vicinity, including Forebay, Goulding, Elbert Creek and Purgatory Flats. The historic Rico-to-Rockwood Wagon Road passes through Chris Park. Built in the late 1800s, the road was used for six years until the railway opened.

Facilities

The campground offers three group sites. Sites 1 and 2 can accommodate up to 75 people each. Site 3 can accommodate up to 150 people, and includes a picnic shelter with electricity and grills. A volleyball court is located near this site as well. Picnic tables and campfire rings provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.

Natural Features

The campground is situated in a mostly flat, open area, shaded by scattered ponderosa pine trees. Haviland Lake is a short drive from the site.

Nearby Attractions

Beautiful Haviland Lake is less than two miles from the campground. The 80-acre, no-wake lake offers boating, canoeing and fishing. Accessible fishing docks are located on the lakeshore.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking

The land around Chris Park

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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