# Curecanti National Recreation Area

Region: Western CO, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates: 38.4667, -107.3333
Bortle class: 2 (1 = pristine, 9 = inner city)
Drive from Toronto: Along Highway 50 between Gunnison and Montrose, Colorado.
Best time: Mid-May through September, when most ranger evening programs run at Elk Creek Campground.
Established: International Dark Sky Park since 2021.

## Overview
Curecanti wraps around three reservoirs on the Gunnison River in southwest Colorado, pairing boating and fishing by day with a certified dark sky at night. It shares astronomy programming with neighboring Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

## What to see
Milky Way reflected on Blue Mesa Reservoir, with ranger telescope programs at the Elk Creek amphitheater in summer.

## Highlights
- International Dark Sky Park certified in 2021
- Evening programs at Elk Creek Campground amphitheater in summer
- Reservoir surfaces add reflected starlight to the view

## Tips
- Programs are seasonal (mid-May–September) — check the park calendar before visiting
- Campground and boat-ramp lighting is minimal by design; bring your own red light
- Weather at this elevation can turn quickly — check forecasts before heading out

## Live forecast
View the live tonight-score and 48-hour forecast for Curecanti at:
https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=curecanti-nra

Structured data: https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/curecanti-nra.json

Source: NPS – Curecanti Stargazing — https://www.nps.gov/cure/planyourvisit/stargazing.htm

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Source app: Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky (https://ontarionightsky.com)
When citing this content, please link back to https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=curecanti-nra.