RV Rentals Near Littleton, CO

Littleton sits on the South Platte River on the southwest side of the Denver metro, about 25 minutes from downtown Denver by way of Santa Fe Drive (US 85). It is the county seat of Arapahoe County, with small pieces reaching into Jefferson and Douglas counties. For an RV trip, the draw is simple: Chatfield State Park and its four campgrounds sit at the city's southern edge, and the river corridor between the park and the old downtown is lined with trails, open space and a free history museum.

That makes Littleton a good fit for a first RV trip or a short shakedown weekend. You are close to grocery stores and fuel, the drive in from Denver involves no mountain grades, and you can still wake up to foothills views across the reservoir.

Camping at Chatfield State Park

Chatfield State Park covers 5,381 acres where the South Platte leaves the mountains at the mouth of Waterton Canyon. Colorado Parks and Wildlife lists 197 campsites spread across four campgrounds. Every site has an electrical hookup and many have full hookups (water, sewer and electric), which is why Chatfield is a common first stop for renters who want to learn their rig's systems close to town. There are also 10 reservable group sites.

Reservations go through the CPW booking system linked from the park page. The campground office keeps limited hours (Wednesday through Sunday on the current schedule), so plan to have your reservation details on your phone before you arrive. Plan on a park vehicle pass as well as the campsite fee.

What there is to do at the park

• Boating, water skiing and fishing on Chatfield Reservoir, with boat ramps on the northwest and southeast sides. Boat inspections are mandatory.
• About 32.8 miles of trails for hiking and biking, plus horseback riding.
• A swim beach and a model airplane field.
• Birding. CPW counts 345 bird species recorded at the park.
• A dog off-leash area that requires a separate daily or annual pass.

Worth knowing: CPW specifically tells visitors not to type "Chatfield State Park" into a mapping app. Use 9700 S Wadsworth Blvd, Littleton, CO 80128, or the park address at 11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd., Littleton, CO 80125. In a 30-foot motorhome, a wrong turn on the far side of the reservoir is a long detour.

Waterton Canyon and the start of the Colorado Trail

Just south of Chatfield, Waterton Canyon is managed by Denver Water. The route runs 6.2 miles up the canyon to Strontia Springs Dam, and the canyon is the northern trailhead of the Colorado Trail. It is also home to bighorn sheep, which shapes most of the rules.

A few rules matter for RV travelers. Denver Water provides trailer parking at the Waterton lot and at the Discovery Pavilion, but overnight parking is not allowed. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in the canyon at all, to protect the sheep, so leave them at camp. The canyon is open year round from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, and Denver Water typically closes it for about two weeks in early June for road work. Drones are prohibited, and camping is not allowed in the canyon itself.

Around town: the river, the museum and downtown

South Platte Park is roughly 880 acres of open space along the river, owned by the City of Littleton and run by South Suburban Park and Recreation District. It has lakes open to fishing, natural surface hiking trails, a paved regional trail and the Carson Nature Center at 3000 W. Carson Dr. It is an easy afternoon outing from a Chatfield campsite.

The Littleton Museum at 6028 S. Gallup Street has free general admission and outdoor living history farm exhibits with daily farm programs. It is open Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons, closed Mondays and holidays. Food and drink are not allowed in the museum or on the farm sites.

Historic Downtown Littleton centers on Main Street. RTD light rail stops at the Littleton-Downtown and Littleton-Mineral stations, which is handy if you would rather leave the RV parked and ride into Denver for a game or a museum day.

Driving an RV in and around Littleton

Littleton is a flat, suburban drive by Colorado standards. The main approaches are Santa Fe Drive (US 85) from central Denver and C-470 from I-25 or from the west side. For Chatfield, most RV drivers use C-470 to Wadsworth Boulevard (Highway 121) and head south. There are no passes and no chain law concerns on the way to the park, though winter storms can still make C-470 slow. Check COtrip.org for current conditions and construction.

For Main Street, plan to leave the RV at camp and come back in a tow vehicle or on light rail rather than hunting for RV-sized parking downtown.

Seasons and weather on the south side of the metro

Summer is peak season at Chatfield, with boating, the swim beach and weekend crowds. Book campsites early for June through August. Afternoon thunderstorms are common on Front Range summer days, so plan reservoir time for the morning. Spring and fall bring cooler nights and quieter campgrounds, and fall is a good time for birding along the river. In winter, the low elevation compared with the mountains means mild stretches between storms, but freezing nights are normal, so ask about winterizing and water use when you book a rental for cold months.

CPW has posted closures at Chatfield tied to ongoing tree removal work. Check the park page for current closures before you go.

If, then

• If you are traveling with a dog, camp at Chatfield and use the off-leash area there, but skip Waterton Canyon, where pets are not allowed.
• If this is your first time driving an RV, pick a full hookup site at Chatfield so you can practice hookups and dumping tanks at the site.
• If you want to see Denver without driving the RV downtown, ride light rail from a Littleton station.

How RVRents fits a Littleton trip

There are two ways to rent an RV for this trip, and they work differently. RVs from owners on Outdoorsy are booked and paid for on Outdoorsy and picked up from the owner. They do not include RVRents delivery, setup or other services. RVs booked directly with RVRents can add services à la carte through vetted local providers: groceries, cleaning or activities, plus delivery and setup at your campsite near Littleton on RVs marked Delivery available. Some RVs require delivery and setup, and the listing says so.

To book direct, send a trip request. Each service is a request until a provider confirms and you approve the price, and we check the campground's rules before any delivery is scheduled.