Colorado's Artificial Lake In The Rocky Mountains Is A Fjord-Like Ethereal Spot For Fishing And Boating

Driving around Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, you might not guess that there's a reservoir in its midst. But when you reach the canyon's edge and peer over the cliffs, a ribbon of emerald water reveals itself hundreds of feet below: the Morrow Point Reservoir. The reservoir is a long, narrow channel with sheer cliffs rising up on its sides, reminiscent of a fjord. Down on the water, kayakers and anglers can find a roost beneath the cliffs, though reaching the shoreline requires a bit more effort than your average lake.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a maze of rugged spires and cliffs in the western Rocky Mountains, sliced through by the Gunnison River — the river that feeds Morrow Point Reservoir. The reservoir was created in 1968, when the Gunnison was dammed to generate hydroelectric power, per the City of Aztec. Today, the reservoir is jointly managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and Bureau of Reclamation, doubling as both an active power source and a water recreation area. At 12 miles long, the reservoir has plenty of shoreline to launch and fish from. It's located in the Curecanti National Recreation Area, a wildly underrated gem of adventure and beauty. The land around it remains largely wild, overspread with bighorn sheep, wake-free waters, and canyon rims fringed by conifers.

Paddling on Morrow Point Reservoir lets you float between soaring canyon walls with the Colorado sunshine overhead. The scenery is part of what makes Morrow Point a rewarding spot for boaters, but reaching it does require commitment. You can't drive up directly to the reservoir and launch a boat; instead, paddlers have to lug their kayak or canoe down a long staircase to reach the water, per the NPS. Given that there aren't any large-scale boat ramps on the water, not to mention the effort required to get there, only hand-launched boats are permitted on the reservoir. Paddlers will also need to fill out a free backcountry use permit at the Pine Creek Trailhead, the route that leads to the reservoir.

For anglers, Curecanti National Recreation Area has lots of shoreline to cast a line from. According to the NPS, the waters are stocked with kokanee salmon and four types of trout: brook, rainbow, brown, and Mackinaw trout. You might also reel in Colorado River cutthroat trout, which is native to the area. Fishing here follows Colorado's statewide regulations, which requires individuals aged 16 or older to possess a valid Colorado fishing license, available to buy online.

Unlike, say, Lake Nighthorse, another Colorado reservoir with spectacular scenery, there's no drive-up access to Morrow Point Reservoir. As mentioned, visitors' most straightforward option to reach the water is by way of the Pine Creek Trail. The trailhead starts at the end of a short spur road from Highway 50. Though it's 1.3 miles long each way, the trail arrives at the shoreline fairly quickly from the upper Black Canyon, but it does involve climbing down 232 steps. Otherwise, the trail is rated moderate in difficulty on AllTrails, with picnic tables, benches, and interpretive signs along the route. Be sure to pack plenty of water and give yourself extra time to climb back up to the trailhead with your gear. Past hikers report many beautiful sightings along the trail. "Great little hike by the water, lots of places to fish and we saw plenty of birds and butterflies," one person recounted in a Google review.

If 200 feet of stairs sounds too daunting, there are a couple roadside overlooks that might be worth stopping at for views of the canyon and reservoir. Viewpoints are interspersed along Highway 92. Of course, you'll only get a bird's-eye perspective, but you can see across the cliffs of Black Canyon and into the water below. As for getting to Morrow Point and the Curecanti area, you can fly into Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) in Montrose, Colorado's high-desert gateway town with Old West charm. The airport offers seasonal direct flights between major U.S. cities and is less than an hour's drive from Morrow Point.