Blue Mesa Reservoir

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Blue Mesa Reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water, and it just so happens to be the largest Kokanee Salmon fishery in the United States. It’s also one of my favorite places to visit in the summer.

I like it because it’s fairly centrally located, so it’s easy to get to and they have some great camping spots in various areas around the lake. They also offer boat rentals, which IMHO is the leisurely way to pass the time in this beautiful area. It’s also adjacent to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, which I hope to explore a bit more in a couple weeks.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Curecanti National Recreation Area several times over the past few years and have camped at a couple different spots.

Lake Fork Campground was a great place for tent camping before it was remodeled. Apparently, Lake Fork is now an RV only campground as I could not find any tent sites for this campground at ReserveAmerica. It’s great if you like camping with all the comforts of home! This campground is right on the shores of Blue Mesa Reservoir and near the Blue Mesa Dam.

Gateview is another nice campground, and now my favorite so far, located in a deep, narrow canyon at the extreme south end of the Lake Fork Arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Getting there entailed taking CO Highway 149 7 miles west of Powderhorn, then 6 miles north on the gravel Blue Mesa Cutoff Road. I had the opportunity to get a close up view of two bighorn sheep scrambling on the scree above our campsite. It was an amazing experience! Brown trout are abundant in the river that flows through this canyon and we had a great time exploring the area and peering into an abandoned mine along the riverbank.

In a couple weekends, we’ll be testing out the Elk Creek Campground which lies amidst treeless sagebrush and provides views of the magnificent mesas that surround the area. Elk Creek is also where the marina is located and where we’ll be renting a boat for the day. I’m looking forward to having showers, which is a treat for any campground. We;ve already got our reservation for a spot near the water. Can’t wait!