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2019 Map of Curecanti Needle

Name: 2019 Topographic Map of Curecanti Needle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2019
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2019

About this map

Curecanti Needle rises as a dramatic landmark above the Gunnison River corridor, marking the heart of the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The landscape is dominated by the steep walls of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, where the Morrow Point Reservoir fills the narrow gorge. High plateaus such as Black Mesa, Soap Mesa, and Fitzpatrick Mesa flank the canyon, reached by a network of rural roads including CO Highway 92.

Water management is evident through systems like the Big Blue Ditch and McKinley Ditch, which redirect flow across the high country. Recreation and access are defined by the Curecanti Creek Trail and the Pioneer Lookout Point, offering views of the complex drainage system where Blue Creek and Curecanti Creek descend into the reservoir. The northern portion of the map transitions into the Gunnison National Forest, illustrating the boundary between protected forest lands and the canyon recreation corridor.