|
|
Blue
Mesa is a nice place to visit in the heat of the summer.
It's fairly high in elevation (7519 ft.), so you'll want to make sure
you're lightly loaded or if you've got a set of props you put
on when you go to higher lakes, put them on before you go
here.
|
| By far the most scenic place to
put in is at the Elk Creek Marina. The Marina there is nestled in a small draw, with a
small store, fuel facilities, a fish cleaning station, restrooms and a Restaurant. You can
get your boat permit at the store, as well as those last minute items you forgot.
You’ll need to get your major groceries in either Montrose or Gunnison before you get
to the lake. There are slips available for rent if you need to tie your boat up for the
night. We found the local Rangers to be very diligent in their monitoring of the boat
permits, and don’t be surprised to find a Ranger on hand for routine safety
inspections as you put your boat in the water. While we enjoyed our
time on the lake, we did feel as if we got a less than enthusiastic
welcome from some of the locals. Despite the fact that we did
everything "by the book", purchasing our boat permits, fishing
licenses, slip rentals and even our ice from the marina store, we were
often left feeling as if our tourism dollars would have been more readily
welcomed elsewhere. |
|
- General
Location - |
| Western Colorado, between Montrose and Gunnison. |
|
- Spillway
Elevation - |
| 7519 ft.
(2292 m.) Above Sea Level |
|
- Permits
& Fees - |
Annual Boat Permit - $30.00 14-day Boat Permit - $10.00
2-day Boat Permit - $4.00
(Holders of the Golden Age and Golden Access passports receive a 50% discount on boat
permits) |
|
- Boat
Ramps - |
- Lake Fork Marina (West end of lake near Blue Mesa Dam)
- Elk Creek Marina (Approximately mid lake on north shore)
- Ponderosa Ramp (Northern most end of lake up Soap Creek Arm)
- Stevens Creek (Eastern end nearest to Gunnison on North shore)
- Iola (Eastern end nearest to Gunnison on South shore)
|
|
-
Campgrounds - |
- Lake Fork (West end of lake near Blue Mesa Dam)
- Ponderosa (Northern most end of lake up Soap Creek Arm)
- Lake Fork Arm – Boat Access Only (Southern end of Lake Fork Arm)
- Gateview (Very end of Lake Fork Arm – Access from Highway 149)
- Red Creek (North shore near Middle Bridge)
- Dry Gulch (North shore between Elk Creek and Middle Bridge)
- Cebolla Creek – Boat Access Only (Mid-lake, south side, up Cebolla
Arm)
- East Elk Creek – Group Camping (North Shore, west of Elk Creek
Visitor Center)
- Elk Creek – Main Visitor Center, Campground, Marina and Restaurant
(North Shore)
- Turtle Rock – Boat Access Only (South side of lake, slightly east of
Elk Creek)
- Stevens Creek (North Shore, closest to Gunnison)
|
|
|
|
|
|
