Floating among the trees

One of the seasonal treats of the late spring is when reservoir levels rise up to and sometimes above the normal full elevation of the lake.  In some places, the high water laps back into wooded areas beyond the regular shoreline and inundates the tree trunks under a shallow depth of water.  When this happens, one can explore through the maze of trees via watercraft for a calming and unique paddleboard experience. 

Inundated cottonwoods at the south end of Chatfield Lake

There are a few places on the front range that are great for paddling through the trees when the season is right.  

Lake San Cristobal

Large, natural lakes are somewhat of a rarity in Colorado.  Lake San Cristobal is one of these and it is a special place.  Located 2 miles south of Lake City, San Cristobal follows a sweeping arc along the Lake Fork of the Gunnison beneath lofty, alpine peaks.  

Lake San Cristobal

Lake San Cristobal makes a great destination because it is very close to the conveniences of Lake City and has plenty of other local diversions.  Five peaks over 14,000 feet reside in the surrounding mountain ranges, four of which have trail-accessible summits.  Many more peaks are slightly less lofty but far less visited.  A relaxing afternoon on San Cristobal makes a great complement to an early morning ascent of a nearby summit.  For those with a four-wheel drive vehicle, the Alpine Loop continues up the road above the lake in a spectacular circuit over Cinnamon and Engineer passes before looping back to Lake City.  There are many camping opportunities in the Lake Fork and Henson Creek drainages, as well as the developed Wupperman Campground on the lake's eastern shores.  

Vicinity Map

Location info: [key]

Scenery: 5
Shoreline Interest: 3
Use: Moderate
Fee: None for day use
Access: Gravel
Water surface elev = 9000; 

No elev change; natural
Rec info 
Weather 

Morrow Point Reservoir

Deep and narrow Morrow Point Reservoir is the central of the three lakes in the Curecanti National Recreation Area.  It begins immediately downstream of Blue Mesa Dam.  But unlike the highly visible Blue Mesa Lake, Morrow Point cannot be seen from U.S. 50 and is only visible from a few locations on State Highway 92--both of which run less than a mile from the lake.  The hidden nature of the lake and the moderate effort required to reach the water make Morrow Point one of the best stand-up-paddle surprises in Colorado. 

Morrow Point Reservoir

Access

Accessing Morrow Point requires hiking down about 180 vertical feet from the Pine Creek Trailhead in the Curecanti Recreation Area.  The Pine Creek Trail, which is also serves guests of boat tours run by the park service, is well-constructed and consists of about 230 stairs to descend to the Gunnison River.  The flow of the river might appear fast or turbulent when it first comes into view.  The gradual transition of river flow to still lake water occurs over the next half-mile.  It will likely be necessary to hike some of all of this distance along the trail paralleling the river to find a suitable launch point.  River flows can change quickly in this stretch, and there are some protruding rocks that create whitewater conditions.  It's best to launch after the tour boat dock becomes visible to avoid surprises.  

Vicinity Map

    Location info: [key]

    Scenery: 5
    Shoreline Interest: 5
    Use: Low-Moderate
    Fee: None
    Access: Gravel + 0.5 mi, 200' vert hike down
    Full elev = 7160; Best above 7153;

    Current water level

    Rec info

    Rec map

    Weather