Hiking And Horseback Riding At Curecanti National Recreation Area

Water, water, everywhere at Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA) in Colorado provides many opportunities for water-based fun in this park. But if water is not exactly your thing, you can indulge in the land-based activity of hiking and – if you bring your horse – horseback riding.

Hiking

The park is home to seven trails with distances between 1-5.2 miles (1.61-8.4 kilometers) roundtrip, located either on U.S. Highway 50 or CO Highway 92. While not necessarily lengthy, these trails still offer easy to strenuous workouts while showing off the landscape through which they wander.

Before You Go

• Not all these trails are smoothly packed – most of them have rocky and uneven portions to them. Bring a hiking pole to keep steady and watch your step.
• Bring plenty of water. Park Staff recommend two quarts. Some of the trails may not have much tree cover. The air is dry and during the summer and temperatures can exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). Even in winter’s chill, you’ll experience moisture loss with every foggy breath you expel while hiking.
• Bring a salty snack or two with you on your hike. While maintaining hydration, it’s also important to maintain your electrolyte balance so you won’t suffer from hyponatremia, which can be just as serious to your system as dehydration.
• Wear sturdy boots or shoes with good tread.
• Carry a hat for those sunny days and a raincoat for rainier days.
• Bear in mind cell service may be spotty.
• Let someone know where you will be and when you will be returning.
• If you’ve brought your pet, please keep it on a leash. Pets are allowed on all the trails in this NRA, but they must be leashed at all times. Sometimes instinct is stronger than training and you don’t want them running off trail to chase whatever was moving in the bushes.

Below is a quick rundown of these seven trails. For more detailed information, click on each trail name.

Trails Along CO Highway 92

Hermits Rest Trail
This is the longest trail at 5.2 miles (8.4 kilometers) roundtrip and is considered strenuous. You’ll zigzag through a forest while hiking deep down a canyon to the shores of Morrow Point Reservoir. While the hiking down part may be easy, with an elevation loss of 1,750 feet (531 meters), the regaining of that elevation while hiking back up might be more of a slog, so take a breather and enjoy some water and a snack before your trip back up the trail.

Curecanti Creek Trail
This 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) roundtrip trail is a strenuous trek hiking down from the Upper Black Canyon of the Gunnison, paralleling Curecanti Creek, and ending along the shoreline of Morrow Point Reservoir.

Crystal Creek Trail
This strenuous 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) trail is a great hike to take to view wildflowers during the spring, and autumn colors from the aspen and Gambel oak during the fall. The trail leads to two overlooks above Crystal Reservoir.

Trails Along U.S. Highway 50

Mesa Creek Trail
Hike this easy-to-moderately-strenuous 1.8-mile (2.8-kilometer) trail paralleling Crystal Reservoir flowing between the sheer walls of Black Canyon, crossing a footbridge over the reservoir.

Dillon Pinnacles Trail
This moderate 3.9-mile (6.4-kilometer) trail takes you up through ponderosa pine and sagebrush to outstanding views of Blue Mesa Reservoir, the distant San Juan Mountain peaks, and the eroded volcanic Dillon Pinnacles. You can even ride your horse along a portion of this trail.

Pine Creek Trail

This moderately strenuous trail follows Pine Creek for 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometers) as it flows down from the upper Black Canyon into Blue Mesa Reservoir.

Note: From late May to September 2026, the road to Pine Creek Trailhead will be closed to all access during road construction.

Neversink Trail
If you enjoy birdwatching and bird photography, park staff recommend hiking this easy 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) trail along the Gunnison River as it is near a great blue heron rookery. You might also see hummingbirds, robins, woodpeckers, and red-winged blackbirds. Keep your distance and use your binoculars or telephoto lens to view (and photograph) birds and other wildlife so as not to stress or spook them.   

Horseback Riding

Bring your horse with you to Curecanti NRA and you can ride on a couple of trails and camp in a couple of campgrounds with corrals.

As mentioned earlier, a portion of Dillon Pinnacles Trail is accessible to horses and pack animals. The trail may be used to access the West Elk Wilderness north of Curecanti. Horse trailers can be parked at the trailhead, and towing vehicles and trailers may be left in the parking lot overnight. Hitching posts are not available either at the trailhead or along the trail.

There’s also an unmaintained trail extending northward from the back of the Dry Gulch campground and providing access to Bureau of Land Management land, the Sapinero State Wildlife Area, and the Gunnison National Forest. 

Dry Gulch Campground and Ponderosa Campground within the NRA offer corrals. Soap Creek Campground managed by the US Forest Service Gunnison Ranger District, also provides corrals.

For more detailed information about campgrounds, stock regulations, and safety tips, click on the Horseback Riding link above.