US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 116935665).
The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Chinns Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:
Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Chinns Lake.
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Look for hotels in and around Empire, CO.
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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.
Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Empire, CO on Klook.
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Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.
Boat rentals in Colorado on GetMyBoat
Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.
The red circle marks Chinns Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Colorado: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official CPW pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Fish species listed for this water in the CPW Fishing Atlas: Brook trout, Cutthroat trout.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Fishing Atlas record for Chinns Lake (Clear Creek County, CPW water code 54368). Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.
Gear picks based on the fish listed for Chinns Lake above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.
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No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 116935665), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 34 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Chinns Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Dogs allowed
Tent sites · Wheelchair accessible
Campfires allowed
RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
All campgrounds & RV parks in Colorado
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (39.8168, -105.6952). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Chinns Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.
Chinns Lake covers about 9 acres in Empire, Colorado (Clear Creek County).
CPW Colorado Fishing Atlas lists Brook trout and Cutthroat trout.
Yes. We list 34 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.
Chinns Lake touches Empire in Clear Creek County, Colorado.
Know Chinns Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Colorado lakes & ponds · All waters in Empire