Curecanti

Curecanti Curecanti National Recreation Area Colorado National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Windsurfers on Blue Mesa Reservoir Curecanti National Recreation Area’s stark landscape bears the imprint of attempts to alter these rugged mesas and canyons for human purposes. The most recent major alteration was the construction of three dams on the Gunnison River in the 1960s to provide irrigation and hydroelectric power. The dams are part of the Wayne N. Aspinall Unit of the Bureau of Reclamation's Upper Colorado River Storage Project. The dams eliminated the wild-fowing water of the Gunnison River and replaced it with static reservoirs. The high, dry, eroded vistas are no longer interrupted by the Gunnison River's narrow thread, but by three bodies of water: Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal reservoirs. Blue Mesa serves as the main water-storage reservoir. Morrow Point Dam generates most of the power. Crystal Dam maintains an even fow through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The old rock faces of Black Canyon that hold the water of the Morrow Point and Crystal reservoirs show the changes that have occurred over two billion years. Surrounding mesas are capped with cliffs and rocky spires telling of violent volcanic eruptions some 30 History Railroad helped develop small towns like Cimarron. It operated until 1949. Winter Brook trout, kokanee salmon, and nonnative fsh including rainbow, brown, and Mackinaw (lake) trout draw anglers to park waters in summer and winter. The region’s ranchers and farmers coveted the Gunnison River’s water for livestock and crops. Opened in 1909, the six-mile (9.6-km) Gunnison Tunnel was blasted through a mesa to deliver water to the Uncompahgre Valley for agriculture. A National Civil Engineering Landmark, it ended the natural fows of the Gunnison River through Black Canyon. reservoir environment, which has abundant plankton. These microscopic organisms fourish in the still waters, and their concentration helps Three dams of the Wayne N. Aspinall Unit dramatically changed the area’s fshery. Only fve of Curecanti’s 22 identifed fsh species are native. Nonnative fsh beneft from the maintain the kokanee, Curecanti's most commonly caught fsh. Brook trout favor the reservoirs' tributary streams. In Blue Mesa Reservoir’s deep subsurface canyons lurk coldwater-loving Mackinaw trout— caught here at over 30 pounds (13.6 kg). Introduced in the Gunnison River in the 1880s, rainbow trout are still stocked along with kokanee. Know the Regulations Buy a Colorado fshing license—required for persons 16 and older— at marinas or sporting goods stores. Use provided fshcleaning stations; if none is available, use trash cans. Despite the abundant wildlife, beautiful snow-capped mesas, and clear blue skies, winter at Curecanti is harsh. Snagging for kokanee begins in November; contact the park for the exact date. Temperatures dip as low as –40ºF (–40ºC) and are made more dangerous by strong winds. Adequate preparation for winter activities is a must. Elk, bighorn sheep, and deer come down from the mountains in winter to feed and avoid colder, snowier conditions at higher elevations. Check beforehand for closures, seasons, bait, and other restrictions. Brown trout Ice fshing is popular. Four inches (10 cm) of hard, clear ice are needed to support one adult on foot. Do your research before you venture onto the ice. Your safety is your responsibility. Rainbow trout Warning: Strong winds make wind-chill factors extreme. Be prepared. Wear clothing in several light layers. Hooded and windproof outer layers are important. Keep your head and neck covered and warm. Hands and feet are the most diffcult to keep warm. Mittens are better than gloves. Boots should be big enough to allow good circulation. Visit the park website for more winter recreation and safety information. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are other ways of experiencing Curecanti's winters. Bearing the Curecanti Needle on its logo, the Denver & Rio Grande Kokanee salmon NPS / LISA LYNCH The Utes spent summers in the mountains and winters near today’s Montrose and Grand Junction. Like many of the area’s earlier inhabitants, they were drawn here by the abundant wildlife in the dry hills and Despite discouraging reports by Capt. John Gunnison and his Pacifc Railroad party, which surveyed the area in 1853, a narrowgauge railroad was in the area by 1882 transporting coal, cattle, ore, and other items. Fishing FRED K. TRUSLOW / CORNELL UNIVERSITY Human occupation goes back at least 10,000 years. Remains of ancient structures called wickiups date back 4,500 years and are some of the oldest dwellings uncovered at Curecanti. The arrival of nonIndigenous people in the 1800s began to destroy Ute lifeways as they took control of the land. Fur traders and miners blazed the northern branch of the Spanish Trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles. This trail frst linked Ute country to global commerce. Curecanti’s fsh are mostly nonnative and stocked for fshing—brook, brown, rainbow, and Mackinaw trout and kokanee salmon—attracting the greatest number of people to the park. Recreational opportunities include power boating, sailing, windsurfng, camping, hiking, and hunting. Any season offers sightseeing at Morrow Point Dam, Pioneer Point, and Blue Mesa. People have an opportunity to discover the solitude and silence of these canyons and mesas. NPS / LISA LYNCH river valleys and by vegetation in canyons and on mesas. million years ago. These formed the West Elk Mountains to the north. Later episodes to the south, forming southwestern Colorado’s scenic San Juan Mountains, spewed vast quantities of ash over this area. The ancestral Gunnison River readily cut down through this volcanic matter, but below lay the tough, ancient rock that is exposed in Black Canyon. This canyon lends the fjord-like character to Morrow Point and Crystal reservoirs’ steep rock walls. Blue Mesa’s bed formed in lessresistant volcanic mudfow materials. As these eroded beneath solidifed volcanic layers, spires formed; the Dillon Pinnacles Trail features an example of this formation. NPS / NATHAN BILOW Brook trout Fishing Tips Locomotive #278, located at Cimarron, stands atop the last remaining railroad trestle along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison route. The best fshing times are when fsh feed in early morning and late evening (try fies). Troll at 5 mph (8 km) for rainbow, slower for kokanee, and deeper for Mackinaw. When reservoir levels are low (late spring and early summer), go fshing along the shore. In summer run lines 40–70 feet (12– 21 m) deep; as water rises and warms, fsh go deeper and to the middle. Mackinaw trout ILLUSTRATIONS— NPS / GREG HARLIN Bald eagles winter at Curecanti, feeding on fsh until ice covers water surfaces. The number of elk herds that winter here depends on the severity of the weather. Explore Curecanti Boating Swimming Swimming is prohibited from docks and launch ramps. There are no specially designated swimming areas within the park. NPS / LISA LYNCH NPS / LISA LYNCH Aids to Navigation NPS / VIDA TUREK Activities, Programs, and Services NPS / VIDA TUREK Orientation Hikers explore Curecanti Creek Trail, which descends from Pioneer Point to Morrow Point Reservoir. Sightseeing Scenic CO 92 skirts Black Canyon’s north rim for spectacular views. The Pioneer Point overlook offers views into this deep canyon and a chance to learn its history. The Morrow Point Reservoir is in the upper reaches of Black Canyon. Elk Creek Visitor Center is open year-round. Exhibits tell about Curecanti’s natural and cultural history and recreational options. Schedules of park programs are available. Use the offcial NPS App to guide your visit. More Information Curecanti National Recreation Area 102 Elk Creek Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-2337 www.nps.gov/cure Curecanti National Recreation Area is one of over 400 parks in the National Park System. To learn more, please visit www.nps.gov. East Portal Road (closed in winter) provides access to the Gunnison Tunnel and Gunnison River. Vehicles longer than 22 feet (6.7 m), including trailer, are prohibited. Visit the historic train exhibit at Cimarron. Services Marinas are at Elk Creek and Lake Fork. Each has a small grocery store, boat rentals, guide service, and slips. Find full travel services in Gunnison, 16 miles (26 km) east of Elk Creek, and in Montrose, 20 miles (32 km) west of Cimarron. Accessibility The Elk Creek Visitor Center and most campgrounds are wheelchair-accessible. Contact the park for information. Hiking and Trails Curecanti’s trail system offers varied hiking experiences. Trails may have rapid elevation changes. Some are ideal for short backpacking trips or long day hikes. Caution! Hikers please note: Curecanti is 7,500 feet (2,286 m) above sea level. Easy trails may be strenuous if you are not used to the elevation. Birders may enjoy the Neversink Trail with its lush streamside habitat that birds favor. The Dillon Pinnacles Trail threads dry mesa country to the spectacular Dillon Pinnacles and beyond for an impressive view of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Blue Mesa Reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water and America’s largest stocked kokanee salmon fshery. Curecanti Creek and Hermits Rest trails, both strenuous, lead to Morrow Point Reservoir from CO 92. Crystal Creek Trail, moderately strenuous, leads to an overlook of Crystal Reservoir, the canyon, and the surrounding San Juan and West Elk mountains. Mesa Creek Trail follows Crystal Reservoir’s shore as a fshing access trail. Pine Creek Trail leads down to Morrow Point Reservoir for shore fshing, launching of hand-carried craft, or sightseeing along a limited section of the historic narrow-gauge railroad bed. Picnicking Picnic areas have toilets but no running water except at Elk Creek (year-round) and Iola (May to September). There are picnic tables along US 50 and CO 92. Camping Campgrounds are at Lake Fork, Elk Creek, Stevens Creek, and Cimarron. Smaller areas at Dry Gulch, Red Creek, Ponderosa, Gateview, and East Portal offer more seclusion. Each reservoir offers wateraccess campsites for boaters. Do not linger in cold water due to the dangers of hypothermia. Extended exposure to cold water can lower your body temperature to dangerous, even fatal, levels. Toxic algae can occur, primarily in summer. Check conditions at the visitor center. NPS / VIDA TUREK NPS / LISA LYNCH Use extreme caution. Water temperatures are very low, shorelines can be precipitous, and submerged rocks are hazardous. Camp only in designated areas. Reserve Elk Creek and Lake Fork and the East Elk Creek and Red Creek group sites at www.recreation.gov. All other campsites are frst-come, frst-served. Blue Mesa Reservoir is 20 miles (32 km) long. Its three basins, Iola, Cebolla, and Sapinero, are suitable for boating. Launch ramps are at Elk Creek, Lake Fork, Iola, and Stevens Creek. Sail boarding and waterskiing are popular on Blue Mesa Reservoir in summer. Because Morrow Point and Crystal reservoirs lie deep in the canyon, boating use is limited to hand-carried craft. Pine Creek Trail, off US 50, leads down 234 steps to Morrow Point Reservoir. Take the Mesa Creek Trail near Cimarron down to Crystal Reservoir. Hunting Colorado and federal hunting laws apply within the park. Discharging frearms in developed or populous areas is prohibited. Weapons are not allowed in federal buildings. Hunters on horseback may use the corrals at Ponderosa and Dry Gulch. Mornings often bring calm waters at Blue Mesa Reservoir, but afternoons can bring winds and storms. Check at the Elk Creek Visitor Center for rangerled and other program schedules. Safety and Regulations Federal boating safety regulations apply. US Coast Guard-approved personal fotation devices (PFDs) must be carried for each person aboard. Your safety equipment must include: a personal fotation device for each passenger, a type 4 throwable fotation device for boats 16 feet (4.8 m) or longer, a fre extinguisher, lights for dusk-to-dawn operation, a soundproducing device, and a working ventilation device for inboard engines. Consult the Colorado Boating Statutes and Regulations. Your boat must be registered in your home state. All motorized and/or state-registered vessels on Blue Mesa Reservoir are required to have a Rangers patrol to help boaters in distress and to check for safety equipment; requirements are posted at launch areas. Know the rules of the road and navigational aids. • If your boat capsizes, stay with it until help arrives. • Keep a safe distance from spillways, divers, and smaller craft. • A third person must be on board as an observer when towing skiers. Do not tow skiers within 500 feet (152 m) of beaches or mooring areas or within 100 feet (30 m) of swimmers. Diamond indicates warning, danger. Use caution. Diamond with cross indicates danger. Keep out. Square gives information. Diver’s fag Keep red buoy to your right when going upstream. Keep green buoy to your left when going upstream. All crafts must observe wakeless areas in the West Elk, Lake Fork, and Cebolla Creek arms and east of the Lake City Bridge. Personal fotation devices (PFDs) should be worn year-round! boat permit. All motorized boats must be processed through the inspection station. Fluctuating water levels and releases from Blue Mesa and Morrow Point dams cause boating hazards. For hazards and launch conditions check at a visitor center. Be alert to strong afternoon winds—they arise suddenly. It is best to travel west in the morning and east in the afternoon. Keep protective coves in sight. When winds pick up, head for shore. Strong changeable currents are a concern on Morrow Point and Crystal reservoirs. Reservoir Surface Elevations Elevations of the reservoirs vary year-round. Contact the park for information. Full pool elevations (above sea level) are: Blue Mesa Reservoir—7,519 feet (2,292 m) Morrow Point Reservoir—6,760 feet (2060 m) Crystal Reservoir—6,755 feet (2059 m) Join the park community. www.nationalparks.org GPO:2023—423-201/83046 Last updated 2023