Curecanti

https://www.nps.gov/cure/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curecanti_National_Recreation_Area Curecanti National Recreation Area is located on the Gunnison River in western Colorado. Established in 1965, Curecanti is responsible for developing and managing recreational facilities on three reservoirs, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir and Crystal Reservoir, constructed on the upper Gunnison River in the 1960s by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to better utilize the vital waters of the Colorado River and its major tributaries. A popular destination for boating and fishing, Curecanti offers visitors two marinas, traditional and group campgrounds, hiking trails, boat launches, and boat-in campsites. The state's premiere lake trout and Kokanee salmon fisheries, Curecanti is a popular destination for boating and fishing, and is also a popular area for ice-fishing in the winter months. Located on the Western slope of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Curecanti includes three reservoirs in the Upper Gunnison River Basin (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal). There are opportunities for hiking, boating, kayaking, camping, fishing, paddle-boarding, windsurfing, wildlife watching, and many other recreational activities. Curecanti is located between the Colorado towns of Gunnison (to the east), Montrose (to the west), and Lake City (to the south). The West Elk Mountain Wilderness area borders Curecanti to the north. U.S. Highway 50 runs the length of Curecanti east to west. Elk Creek Visitor Center Summer (May 7 to September 24) - open daily 8 am to 5 pm (open holidays) Winter (September 25 to May 6) - open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm (closed on Sundays, Mondays, and holidays) Cimarron Campground Cimarron Campground is located 20 miles east of Montrose on U.S. Highway 50 at the site of a historic narrow gauge railroad town. All types of camping from tents to medium sized RVs can be accommodated at Cimarron. All sites are first-come first-served, and the campground rarely fills. Railroad exhibits are adjacent to the campground, and Crystal Reservoir near Morrow Point Dam is approximately 1.5 miles away. Elevation: 6895 feet Cimarron Campground 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Cimarron Campground Cimarron Campground Cimarron Campground Dry Gulch Campground Dry Gulch Campground is located 17 miles west of Gunnison just north of U.S. Highway 50. The campground is shaded by large cottonwood trees and can accommodate tents or medium sized RVs. All sites are first-come first-served. A horse corral is available. Elevation: 7560 feet Dry Gulch Campground 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Dry Gulch Campground Dry Gulch Campground Dry Gulch Campground Dry Gulch Campground Sites Dry Gulch Campground Sites Dry Gulch Campground Sites Dry Gulch Horse Corral Dry Gulch Horse Corral Dry Gulch Horse Corral East Elk Creek Group Campground East Elk Creek is a group campsite that can accommodate a total of 50 people. The site is located 16.5 miles west of Gunnison just north of U.S. Highway 50. The campsites are located under large Cottonwood trees and space is available for tents or RVs. Elevation: 7535 feet East Elk Creek Group Campground 1 53.00 50 people maximum. East Elk Creek Group Campground 1 East Elk Creek Group Campground 1 Picnic shelter and bridge leading to tent campsites. East Elk Creek Group Campground 2 East Elk Creek Group Campground 2 Parking area, picnic shelter and vault toilet. East Elk Creek Group Campground 3 East Elk Creek Group Campground 3 The campground is shaded by Cottonwood trees. East Portal Campground The East Portal Campground is located within Curecanti National Recreation Area, but is adjacent to and only accessible from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which has a $30 entrance fee. The campground is located at the bottom of the canyon, along the Gunnison River. It is a small campground shaded by box elder trees. East Portal is closed in winter, when the Bureau of Reclamation closes the East Portal Road. Elevation: 6526 feet East Portal Campground - Sites with vehicle access East Portal Campground - Sites with vehicle access Five out of the fifteen sites have vehicle access. East Portal Campground - Walk-in sites East Portal Campground - Walk-in sites Ten of the 15 sites are walk-in tent sites. Elk Creek Campground Elk Creek Campground is located 16 miles west of Gunnison on U.S. Highway 50 on the shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir. We recommend making reservations prior to coming to Curecanti because cell service and first-come, first-served sites may be unavailable. Reservations may be made on recreation.gov from mid-May to mid-September. All types of camping from tents to large RVs can be accommodated. Very few sites have trees. This is the only campground with electricity (Loop D only) at Curecanti. Elevation: 7540 feet Loops A & B 16.00 $16.00 per night, plus $3.00 if reserved ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass, plus $3.00 per night if reserved) Loop C 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Loop D 22.00 $22.00 per night, plus $3.00 per night if reserved ($14.00 per night for Interagency Senior/Access Pass, plus $3.00 per night if reserved) Elk Creek Campground Elk Creek Campground Elk Creek Campground elk creek campground Twilight on Blue Mesa, looking west Twilight on Blue Mesa, looking west Gateview Campground Gateview Campground is located in a deep, narrow canyon at the extreme south end of the Lake Fork Arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Take CO Highway 149 7 miles west of Powderhorn, then 6 miles north on the gravel Blue Mesa Cutoff Road. All sites are first-come first-served. Gateview is best suited for tent camping. Due to the narrow gravel road, even small RVs or pop-up trailers are not recommended. Elevation: 7538 feet Gateview Campground 0.00 Free. Lake Fork Arm at Gateview Lake Fork Arm at Gateview Lake Fork Arm near Gateview Campground Lake Fork Campground The campground is located 27 miles west of Gunnison on CO Highway 92 near the intersection with U.S. Highway 50 on the shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir. We recommend making reservations at recreation.gov prior to coming to Curecanti because cell service and first-come, first-served sites may be unavailable. Reservations may be made on recreation.gov from mid-May to mid-September. Tents and large RVs can be accommodated. The campground is paved except for the tent walk-in sites. Elevation: 7580 feet Upper & Middle Sections 16.00 $16.00 per night, plus $3.00 if reserved ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass, plus $3.00 per night if reserved) Lower Section (CLOSED) 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Lake Fork Campground Lake Fork Campground Lake Fork Campground Ponderosa Campground Ponderosa Campground is located at the northwest end of the Soap Creek Arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. From U.S. Highway 50, follow CO Highway 92 1/2 mile past Blue Mesa Dam to Soap Creek Road. Proceed 7 miles north on the gravel Soap Creek Road. Tents and medium sized RVs can be accommodated at Ponderosa. All sites are first-come first-served. Elevation: 7880 feet Note: During dry conditions, the first 7 miles of Soap Creek Road are passable to trailers and RVs. Rain can make the Soap Creek Road impassable. Ponderosa Loops 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Ponderosa Campground Ponderosa Campground The Upper Loop of Ponderosa. Red Creek Campground Red Creek Campground is located 19 miles west of Gunnison just north of U.S. Highway 50. There are 2 sites - 1 individual site and 1 group site. The individual site is first-come first-served, and the group site is reservation only. RVs longer than 22 feet are not recommended due to a lack of space to turn around. Elevation: 7542 feet Individual Site 16.00 $16.00 per night ($8.00 per night with Interagency Senior/Access Pass) Group Site 28.00 $28.00 per night Red Creek Campground 1 Red Creek Campground Group Site Red Creek Campground Group Site Red Creek Campground 2 Red Creek Campground Group Site Parking Area and Vault Toilet Red Creek Campground Group Site Parking Area and Vault Toilet Stevens Creek Campground The campground is located 12 miles west of Gunnison on U.S. Highway 50 on the shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Tents to large RVs can be accommodated. The 53 sites are surrounded by sage and rabbitbrush. There is no natural shade. All sites are first-come first-served. Elevation: 7540 feet Loop C 16.00 Maximum of 8 people per site. No more than two primary recreational camping units per site, (car, pickup, motorhome, van, pop-up trailer, in which people are sleeping). In addition, if space allows, the following may also be at the site: tent, boat trailer, vehicles not used for sleeping. Loop C is limited to 30 consecutive days per visit. Loops A & B 16.00 Maximum of 8 people per site. No more than two primary recreational camping units per site, (car, pickup, motorhome, van, pop-up trailer, in which people are sleeping). In addition, if space allows, the following may also be at the site: tent, boat trailer, vehicles not used for sleeping. Loop A is limited to a visit of 14 consecutive nights during a 30 day period. Loop B is limited to 30 consecutive days per visit. Loop A Loop A This campground is next to Blue Mesa Reservoir and has very little shade. Dillon Pinnacles Trail Dillon Pinnacles in the morning sunlight. Dillon Pinnacles in the morning sunlight. Blue Mesa Nights An arm of the Milky Way galaxy glows over Blue Mesa. An arm of the Milky Way galaxy glows over Blue Mesa. Twilight Before Dawn Blue Mesa reflects the color of the sky in the dawn twilight. Blue Mesa reflects the color of the sky in the dawn twilight. Crystal Trail View The snow-capped San Juan Mountain Range looms in the distance as viewed from the Crystal Trail The snow-capped San Juan Mountain Range looms in the distance as viewed from the Crystal Trail Hedgehog Cactus Blossom Hedgehog Cactus flower blooming along the Crystal Trail Hedgehog Cactus flower blooming along the Crystal Trail NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. reservoir and shoreline hills Landbird Monitoring in Northern Colorado Plateau Network Parks, 2018 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2018. Small, bright-orange bird with yellowish underfeathers. Traits, Tradeoffs, and Pivot Points: How Climate, Plant, and Soil Properties Affect Vegetation Growth on the Northern Colorado Plateau As the northern Colorado Plateau heads into a hotter, drier future, there will be ecological winners and losers. Figuring out how different vegetation communities will fare is tricky. A recent study aimed to identify which vegetation communities might come out ahead, which might lag behind, and what might make the difference. Desert grassland in red rock setting. Pink wildflowers grow in foreground as storm brews in the sky. Wildland Fire in Douglas Fir: Western United States Douglas fir is widely distributed throughout the western United States, as well as southern British Columbia and northern Mexico. Douglas fir is able to survive without fire, its abundantly-produced seeds are lightweight and winged, allowing the wind to carry them to new locations where seedlings can be established. Close-up of Douglas fir bark and needles. What We’re Learning and Why it Matters: Long-Term Monitoring on the Northern Colorado Plateau Knowing which key natural resources are found in the national parks, and whether they're stable or changing, helps decisionmakers make sound choices. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network is building that knowledge. After more than ten years of monitoring, we've learned a lot about park ecosystems, how they're changing, and what they may look like in the days to come. Find out what we’ve learned and how it’s being used to help managers plan for the future. Man stands in a stream, looking down at a handheld gauge. Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2019 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2019. Bald eagle Water Quality in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Water Years 2016–2018 Once a month, ecologists collect water samples at dozens of monitoring sites in and near ten National Park Service units across Utah and Colorado. This consistent, long-term monitoring helps alert managers to existing and potential problems. Find out the results for 2016-2018 in this brief from the Northern Colorado Plateau Network. A monitoring crew of three samples a clear river flowing over brown rock and sand A Closer Look at When Grasses Need a Drink: Soils, Precipitation, and Desert Grasses The results of a recent study may help land managers to prioritize grassland conservation and restoration efforts. Park managers can’t do much about climate, but with the right information, they can make choices based on how different grassland communities behave in different soil types. In this study, cool-season grasses showed more resilience to drought than warm-season grasses. A field crew member takes measurements on a grassland transect. Water Quality Trends in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP and Curecanti NRA, 2001–2014 “Is it safe to go in the water?” It’s a pretty basic question—and a really important one. In Curecanti National Recreation Area and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with park managers to find the answer. A report examined long-term trends in water quality at both parks from 2001 to 2014--and the news was mostly good. Blue reservoir with ice Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Connie Rudd: Defining a Career Path Connie Rudd's career with the National Park Service began as a seasonal ranger in 1979. Her continual desire to learn propelled her to various sites and positions in interpretation, planning, and management until 2014, when she retired as Park Superintendent. In this Spotlight article, Rudd reflects on her career path, changes in interpretation, and being in upper management as a woman. Part of "Women’s Voices: Women in the National Park Service Oral History Project." Connie Rudd smiles for a portrait in an outdoor setting, wearing a NPS uniform and flathat Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2020 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2020. Small beige bird with black beak and feet, brown back. Survival is Still Tough for Dinosaurs at Curecanti National Recreation Area Dinosaur fossils at Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado, are exposed to climatic and environmental factors that can rapidly destroy or rebury them. Park staff have instituted programs to study how best to protect them. One program tracks what happens to individual specimens. Another studies shoreline changes at the fossil sites. rock with fossils in surface and a scale bar Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 13, No. 1, Spring 2021 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> park ranger in uniform Monitoring From Space: Using Satellite Imagery to Measure Landscape Conditions on the Ground Scientists from the Northern Colorado Plateau Network travel thousands of miles each year to collect data on plants, soils, and water across network parks. But it would be impossible to cover every square inch of the Northern Colorado Plateau with boots on the ground. Instead, we simultaneously monitor the parks with boots in space—satellite data that provide information at a much broader scale. Satellite and Earth in space Localized Drought Impacts on Northern Colorado Plateau Landbirds Birds of the desert southwest, a climate-change hotspot, are among the most vulnerable groups in the US. To help park managers plan for those changes, scientists evaluated the influence of water deficit on landbird communities at 11 national parks in Utah and Colorado. The results will help land managers to focus conservation efforts on places where certain species are most vulnerable to projected climate changes. A man wearing a clipboard looks through binoculars at dawn in field of sagebrush Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Algae Blooms and Climate Change at Curecanti Multiple species of blue green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are native to our area of Colorado and are an essential part of the food web in Blue Mesa. In fact, cyanobacteria showed up about 2 billion years ago on the planet. Even though it has been around for billions of years, more and more lakes around the World are seeing bigger and more frequent blooms - Blue Mesa Reservoir included. Blue Green Algae in Blue Mesa Reservoir Judith Córdova Judith Córdova experienced discrimination as a child in her Denver-area neighborhood. As an adult, she continued to fight against it in her job as an equal opportunity employment specialist for the National Park Service (NPS). Eventually she rose through the ranks herself, becoming the first Latina superintendent in 1993. Judith Cordova in an NPS baseball cap looks into the camera. Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2021 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2021. Small dove with black spots on back of wings, long tail, and brownish-gray body. 2021 National Park Service Aviation Awards In 2021, the National Park Service Aviation Program awarded the Excellence in Mentorship Aviation Award, the Tom Clausing Aviation All Risk (Hazard) Program Award, Aviator of the Year Award, and the Wright Brothers Aviation Safety Award. Five men and a woman stand surrounding a Mesa Verde Helitack sign. Two men hold awards. Studying the Past and Predicting the Future Using Rat Nests In the western United States, packrat middens are one of the best tools for reconstructing recent environments and climates. These accumulations of plant fragments, small vertebrate remains, rodent droppings, and other fossils can be preserved for more than 50,000 years. Packrat middens have been found in at least 41 National Park Service units. Photo of a wood rat. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a person sitting while using a laboratory microscope. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring 2023 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> three people working in a fossil quarry Utilizing Trace Fossils to Fill in Paleoecological Gaps at Curecanti National Recreation Area Paleontologist Ryan King, professor at the Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO, has been documenting Mesozoic vertebrate fossil localities in Curecanti National Recreation Area. Among the paleontological resources Ryan has documented at the recreation area are fossil dinosaur footprints and skin impressions. photo of a lakeshore NPS Establishes NPSage Initiative to Restore Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystems Artemisia species, commonly known as sagebrush, are far from being the only species on the landscape. The sagebrush biome is composed of a rich mosaic of thousands of diverse plant species, which are largely driven by differences in climate, soil and elevation. These distinct sagebrush plant and animal communities occur in approximately 70 park units across the western U.S— all of which are experiencing significant threats from wildfire and droughts. Two NPS staff knealing next to plants growing in a nursery Making an Impact: Long-Term Monitoring of Natural Resources at Intermountain Region National Parks, 2021 Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021. A man looks through binoculars at sunrise. Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2022 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2022. Hairy woodpecker clings to the underside of a tree branch. A Changing Bimodal Climate Zone Means Changing Vegetation in Western National Parks When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change. Dark storm clouds and rainbow over mountains and saguaros. Project Profile: Produce Seed for Intermountain Grasslands The National Park Service and organizations of the Southwest Seed Partnership will implement the National Seed Strategy and associated revegetation and restoration efforts in grassland ecosystems in Intermountain Region parks. The project focuses on native plant development and involves collecting, producing, cleaning, testing, tracking, and storing seeds from native species.