The Blue Mesa Reservoir is the second largest lake in Colorado, and the largest man-made reservoir in the state, about twenty miles long. Surrounded by spectacular cliffs and mesas, water levels fluctuate drastically depending on the winter snow fall. I've seen the lake full, and I've seen it almost completely dry. It was created by damming the Gunnison River, and there are now a total of three dams in the river, each creating a reservoir to support the residents of SW Colorado. In addition, a tunnel through the mountains diverts part of the river to provide irrigation for farms and ranches. The tunnel was the first project of the Bureau of Reclamation, back in 1909.
Black Canyon was formed by the Gunnison River flowing against hard rock being uplifted over millions of years. It got its name from being so deep and steep-walled that little sun light reaches the bottom. Part of it is a national park with overlooks on both the south and north rims.
The canyon is up to 2300 feet deep in places, but there is a road to the bottom. Early exploration through the canyon failed when the boats crashed on the rocks in serious rapids. The intrepid explorers survived by climbing out over the jagged rocks. Today, kayakers can navigate through the national park by lifting their kayaks over the large boulders.
One of the reservoirs, outside the national park, offers a boat ride to see the canyon up close and personal. It's quite a trek down a huge set of stairs to reach the boat dock.
