Chalk Creek is a 27.3-mile-long (43.9 km)[2] river flowing east from the Collegiate Peaks mountain range in Chaffee County, Colorado.

The river is named after the magnificent white kaolinite cliffs that stand at the entrance to the Chalk Creek valley, and are a result of hot spring deposits.

These white cliffs are visible for miles in all directions, and stand in stark contrast to the otherwise wooded surrounding mountains.

[3] The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad had a rail route that wound up Chalk Creek canyon into the Alpine Tunnel.

The tunnel was built to allow trains to transport ore and supplies to and from the town of Gunnison, Colorado, located on the western side of the Continental Divide.