Curecanti National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area's Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in Colorado, and an iconic venue for water recreation. All motorized watercraft vessels launched in Curecanti waters must have a Curecanti NRA boat launch permit sticker or digital proof of purchase of a boat launch permit until a sticker is obtained from an Aquatic Invasive Species Inspection Station.
All trailered, motorized, and sail powered watercraft are required to be inspected before launching. If required, the watercraft must also be decontaminated before launching in any body of water in the state of Colorado. Vessels must be inspected for invasive species before launch by one of the inspection stations at the Elk Creek, Lake Fork, Stevens Creek, or Iola boat ramps.
Purchase your temporary 7-day or seasonal permit in advance through Recreation.gov or deposit exact change, check or credit card payment at the iron rangers located near each boat inspection station. Proof of purchase must be retained and shown to an Aquatic Invasive Species inspector to obtain a boat launch permit sticker.
Senior and Access passes provide a 50% discount on boat launch permits. Please note that other passes (Interagency Annual Pass, Military Pass, etc) do not provide a discount for boat launch passes or other expanded amenities.
All motorized boats must have a boat launch permit sticker affixed to the left rear (port stern) of the vessel.
Until the boat launch permit sticker is obtained from the Aquatic Invasive Species staff, the email confirmation can be temporarily used as proof of permit. It is recommended that you print a hard copy of the email confirmation and have this with you on your boat, as cell reception in Curecanti NRA can be spotty.
All boaters are responsible for knowing the Boat Regulations and Safety Information for Curecanti NRA, which can be found by visiting the park's boat information page: https://www.nps.gov/cure/planyourvisit/boating.htm
For current river and reservoir data, please visit the Bureau of Reclamation's Aspinall Unit website: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/asp.html