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2016 Map of Curecanti Needle

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Curecanti Needle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

The Curecanti Needle stands as a prominent landmark along the Gunnison River, where the deep carvings of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison meet the waters of the Curecanti National Recreation Area. This mid-2010s survey details a landscape of high plateaus and dramatic verticality, from the expansive Soap Mesa in the north to Blue Mesa in the southeast.

Evidence of local water management and land use is visible through the Big Blue Ditch and numerous springs like Round Corral Spring. The map documents a network of forest roads and trails, including the Curecanti Creek Trail leading down from Pioneer Lookout Point, and various access routes through Gunnison National Forest such as D 84 Rd and Co RD 717c. This area reflects the modern management of federal lands, balancing recreation with the topography of the Fitzpatrick Mesa.