managers indicated in early May, 2022 the plan for 2022 would allow the Blue Mesa Reservoir to recover water levels, although they would remain insufficient for opening the marinas. Nearby attractions In addition to Blue Mesa Reservoir, Curecanti NRA also contains two other Bureau of Reclamation projects, Morrow Point Reservoir and Crystal Reservoir. Part of the same project that created Blue Mesa, both Morrow Point and Crystal are smaller, narrower lakes, located within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Though considerably harder to access than Blue Mesa, these two lakes nevertheless offer visitors unique views and challenging recreational opportunities. West of Blue Mesa and immediately downriver from Crystal Dam is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, a National Park Service unit that offers camping, hiking, and views of the river and the surrounding 1900-ft. deep canyon. North of the reservoir is the Gunnison Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, a unit of the U.S. Forest Service. The Gunnison Ranger District includes almost 30 campgrounds and a number of hiking and equestrian trails spread across 1.3 million acres. Towns near Blue Mesa include Gunnison to the east and Montrose and Delta to the west, all of which can be accessed via U.S. 50. See also List of largest reservoirs of Colorado Colorado River Storage Project Curecanti National Recreation Area Blue Mesa Dam Morrow Point Reservoir Crystal Reservoir References External links Bureau Of Reclamation: Blue Mesa Dam NPS: Curecanti National Recreation Area Reservoirs in Colorado Gunnison River Colorado River Storage Project Curecanti National Recreation Area Reservoirs and dams in National Park Service units Lakes of Gunnison County, Colorado Protected areas of Gunnison County, Colorado 1965 establishments in Colorado