Kayak, Swim, and More at Curecanti National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area is a special place that offers recreation opportunities including swimming, hiking, boating, and so much more. Curecanti also provides critical water storage in the arid West. On February 11, 1965, under a memorandum of agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service was entrusted with developing recreational opportunities around and on Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal Reservoirs after the construction of three hydrologic dams. The reservoirs are now recreational hubs brimming with opportunities that benefit all who visit.
Summer Fun
In summer, Curecanti is all about the water, including, boating, kayaking, canoeing, rafting in the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa, fishing, fly fishing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and for those brave enough to enter waters that don’t get far above 60°F (15.5°C), swimming! Evening programs are often offered on the weekends at the Elk Creek campground amphitheater that overlooks Blue Mesa on a variety of topics related to the recreation area.
Pet-Friendly Hiking
Curecanti National Recreation Area has seven hiking trails ranging from strolls along the Gunnison River, to more strenuous hikes down into the upper region of the Black Canyon. A pet-friendly park, feel free to bring your dogs with you on your hike! Remember that pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet and owners are responsible for picking up their pets’ waste. Evening programs on a variety of topics related to the recreation area are offered on weekends at the Elk Creek campground amphitheater that overlooks Blue Mesa .
Winter Magic
In winter, Curecanti offers recreational opportunities for snow and ice enthusiasts. Once Blue Mesa Reservoir freezes over, visitors come out to ice skate and ice fish. However, temperatures can drop below zero—in both Fahrenheit and Celsius—so folks need to be prepared with cold-weather gear. Extreme caution must be used if visitors wish to travel on frozen surfaces.
Inspiring Skies, Diverse History
As an International Dark Sky Park, visitors to Curecanti can enjoy a night sky with low amounts of light pollution. On cloudless nights in the summer, visitors can experience the Milky Way stretching above their heads. On full moons, the landscape is illuminated in an ethereal glow.
Curecanti is a place with a long and diverse history. Cliff lines along the banks of the reservoir hold fossils from the Jurassic period, including large meat-eaters like Allosaurus, long-necked titans like Diplodocus, and the armored, state dinosaur of Colorado, Stegosaurus. Traces of movement of bands of Indigenous Ute people have been found as they traveled along what is now known as the Gunnison River. The Ute have lived in this part of the world for hundreds of years. Pioneer towns and recreational resorts from the 1800s, now submerged under the waters of Blue Mesa, occasionally emerge in low water after being flooded by the creation of the reservoir.
Wildlife Conservation
Curecanti is a dynamic, changing landscape home to many animals including the federally listed endangered Gunnison sage-grouse, bald eagle, Kokanee salmon (a land-locked version of the Pacific sockeye salmon), elk, deer, coyotes, and beavers. So, while most visitors come to enjoy the water and the recreational opportunities it offers, Curecanti is more than just a place to play. It’s home to a deep, rich story that ties this site to other areas of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Gunnison River basin, and the Colorado River basin.
More Than Just a Place to Play:
A Deep, Rich Story of Conservation and Culture
Curecanti is a dynamic, changing landscape home to many animals including the federally listed endangered Gunnison sage-grouse, bald eagle, Kokanee salmon (a land-locked version of the Pacific sockeye salmon), elk, deer, coyotes, and beavers. So, while most visitors come to enjoy the water and the recreational opportunities it offers, Curecanti is more than just a place to play. It’s home to a deep, rich story that ties this site to other areas of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Gunnison River basin, and the Colorado River basin.
By Jaron B-M, Park Guide, Curecanti National Recreation Area
