Salida, Buena Vista and Chalk Creek camping: reservations and cancellations

How do Salida, Buena Vista and Chalk Creek campground reservations work?

O'Haver Lake is near Salida, Cascade and Mount Princeton sit in Chalk Creek Canyon below Mount Princeton, and Collegiate Peaks is west of Buena Vista on the way to Cottonwood Pass. All four book on recreation.gov. Cascade and Mount Princeton say reservations open up to 6 months ahead. O'Haver Lake and Collegiate Peaks state no window, so we won't guess one from their neighbors.

First-come walk-up sites: O'Haver Lake 1 to 5, 7, 13, 21, 23 and 24; Cascade 2 to 7, 11 and 12; Mount Princeton 1 and 14 to 17; and Collegiate Peaks 1 and 18 to 30, though its page is inconsistent about which sites can be reserved. O'Haver Lake runs May to October and Cascade and Mount Princeton May to September, all depending on weather, and O'Haver has a 2-night weekend minimum.

Which Salida, Buena Vista and Chalk Creek campgrounds can I book, and when?

Rules verified Nov 4, 2026 against recreation.gov for O'Haver Lake, the O'Haver Lake page, recreation.gov for Cascade, the Cascade page, recreation.gov for Mount Princeton, the Mount Princeton page and recreation.gov for Collegiate Peaks. Rules change: check before you book.

What are conditions like in Salida, Buena Vista and Chalk Creek right now?

Our conditions board tracks inclement weather, wildfire, smoke, air quality and closures for Salida, Buena Vista and Chalk Creek. Set a watch and we also keep an eye on conditions around your trip, and email you if they turn bad, with nearby campgrounds that look clear.