Curecanti National Recreation Area

Usual hours

• Mon–Sun 0:00–0:00

From 56 published days, 2026-10-24 to 2026-12-18; community-mapped.

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

This park's official page lists: Store / concessions.

This park's official page lists: Visitor center.

At the park

• Visitor center exhibit
• Wildlife & bird watching scenic feature
• Hiking trails trail
• Boating water
• Denver & Rio Grande Western Abandoned Railroad water
• Fishing water

Before you go

Limits

Yes, service dogs are legally permitted anywhere in a park that visitors can go

⚠ Caution: Toxic Algae May Be Present In Blue Mesa Reservoir

Cyanotoxin levels in the Blue Mesa Reservoir are now below state thresholds. Toxins are still present at low levels, therefore keep kids and pets out of the water. Avoid all contact with algae. If exposed, shower immediately.

Getting there

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.

Weather & when to go

During spring and fall, temperatures range from 44°F to 70°F (7°C to 34°C) with overnight lows from the teens to about freezing (-9°C to 2°C). In summer, temperatures are usually in the 70°F to 80°F (21°C to 27°C). Nights are usually 40°F to 50°F (4°C to 10°C). The wind often picks up at 12 pm and continues through the afternoon. Thunderstorms are common. In winter, temperatures usually reach 20°F to 30°F (-7°C to -1°C) and lows often dip below zero (-18°C).

Visitor center

East Portal

Visitor center

Elk Creek Visitor Center

Visitor center

Elk Creek Visitor Center

Visitor center

Elk Creek Visitor Center

Visitor center

Elk Creek Visitor Center

Visitor center

Elk Creek Visitor Center — The visitor center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. — Follow U.S. Highway 50 15 miles (24 km) west of Gunnison, CO, or 49 miles (79 km) east of Montrose, CO, then follow signs to the visitor center. GPS coordinates: N 38.4668, W -107.1663

Facilities on the park map

1 bench, 1 defibrillator, 1 picnic area, 5 restroom, 6 visitor information, 2 water fountain.

Where to stay

• 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 c · 90 campsites · Accessibility: The campground is paved except for the walk-in tent sites. Campsites 51 and 52 are designated accessible.
• 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 fir · 28 campsites · Accessibility: Unpaved surfaces.
• Red Creek Campground Red Creek Campground is located 19 miles west of Gunnison just north of U.S. Highway 50. There is only 1 site--a group site available by reservation only. The group site can accommodate a maximum of 20 people. RVs longer than 22 feet are not recommended due to a lack of space to turn around. Elevation: 7542 feet · 1 campsite · Accessibility: No accessible sites.
• 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. Ele · 6 campsites · Accessibility: No accessible sites.
• 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 · 9 campsites · Accessibility: Unpaved surfaces.
• 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 · 1 campsite · Accessibility: No accessible campsites.
• 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 may be unavailable. All sites can be reserved and can be made the same day. All types of camping from tents to large RVs can be accommodated. Very few sites have trees. This is the only campground with e · 155 campsites · Accessibility: The campground is paved.
• Cimarron Campground Cimarron Campground is located 20 miles (32 km) east of Montrose, CO on U.S. Highway 50 at the site of Cimarron, a historic narrow gauge railroad town. The campground accommodates tents to medium sized RVs. All sites are first-come, first-served and the campground rarely fills. Railroad exhibits are adjacent to the campground. Crystal Reservoir near Morrow Point Dam is approximately 1.5 miles away · 21 campsites · Accessibility: The road is paved.
• 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. This campground uses the Recreation.gov app's Scan & Pay option. Please have the app downloaded before arrival. Registration for campsites are in-person through the app. El · 53 campsites · Accessibility: This campground is paved.
• East Portal Campground East Portal Campground is located within Curecanti National Recreation Area, but is adjacent to and only accessible from Black Canyon National Park ($30 entrance fee). This small campground is located at the bottom of the canyon along the Gunnison River, shaded by box elder trees. The campground is closed in winter. East Portal Road is closed to vehicles in winter but open to pedestrians and cycli · 15 campsites · Accessibility: East Portal campground is not ADA accessible. The campground road and parking areas are all gravel and all campsites are unimproved ground. 5 campsites have…

History

Opened

1965

• Park opened