Morrow Point Reservoir, artificial reservoir in Colorado

Morrow Point Reservoir is a large water body on the Gunnison River in Colorado created by a concrete dam that extends about 12 miles through a narrow canyon. The water is surrounded by steep rock walls, some rising hundreds of feet above the surface, creating a confined natural setting.

The reservoir was created in the late 1960s when the Morrow Point Dam was completed by the Bureau of Reclamation, marking the first structure of its kind built by the agency. The project was designed to control the Gunnison River and provide water storage for regional agriculture and municipal needs.

The Curecanti Needle, a 700-foot granite spire on the southern shore, was a landmark for passengers on the Denver & Rio Grande Western's Black Canyon route between Gunnison and Montrose. The reservoir lies in the upper Black Canyon, and its boat-in campsites are reached only by hand-carried craft.

Hand-carried craft only: boats must be carried down Pine Creek Trail's 232 steps, which drop 180 feet to the water. A Backcountry Permit, available at that trailhead, is required for boat-in camping. Pioneer Point Overlook on Colorado 92, 5.5 miles west of Blue Mesa Dam, starts the 4-mile Curecanti Creek trail with a 900-foot elevation change; Hermit's Rest Trailhead, 17 miles west on the same road, leads to a 6-mile round trip with 1,800 feet of climbing.

A striking geological feature is Curecanti Needle, a pointed granite rock formation rising about 700 feet from the water that has served as a regional landmark for many years. This distinctive rock outcrop once marked the passage for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which ran close to the formation and made it recognizable to early travelers.