Paonia Dam and Reservoir is part of the Paonia Project. Recreation at Paonia
Reservoir is managed by the Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation
under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The reservoir is located in
the shadow of Colorado majestic Ragged Mountains. The parks natural beauty is
a perfect setting for nature lovers and photographers. There are picnic and 15
semi-primitive campsites available for your enjoyment. (Drinking water is not
available.) Water level may fluctuate severely and prevent boat launching.
Call 1-800-678-2267 for camping reservations.

<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Paonia+Dam" rel="nofollow">Paonia Dam</a> and Reservoir is part of the Paonia Project. Recreation at Paonia Reservoir is managed by the Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation.  The reservoir is located in the shadow of Colorado majestic Ragged Mountains.  The parks natural beauty is a perfect setting for nature lovers and photographers.  There are picnic and 15 semi-primitive campsites available for your enjoyment. (Drinking water is not available.)  Water level may fluctuate severely and prevent boat launching.  Call 1-800-678-2267 for camping reservations.

Bird's eye view of the park

Paonia Reservoir

Needle Rock is an intrusive of rhyodacite volcanic plug located in the Needle
Rock Natural Area, 3.5 miles east-northeast of the Town of Crawford in Delta
County, Colorado, United States. It stands 800 feet tall above the floor of
the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River valley. It originated as the throat of a
large volcano about 28 million years ago in the Miocene geological epoch, when
molten rock intruded between existing sedimentary rocks. The plug may
represent the eroded conduit of a laccolith. There are private property
parcels around the base, but there is a BLM trail that more or less rings the
Needle.

  
Needle Rock lies within the western edge of the West Elk Mountains in western
central Colorado. It is the remnant of a volcanic plug that pushed up through
the crust, and due to the relative hardness of the basalt of which it is made,
has eroded significantly slower than the surrounding mancos shale and
sandstone that makes up many of the rocks in the area. Needle Rock Trail is a
0.8 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Crawford, Colorado
that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number
of activity options and is best used from March until October. For more
information, please contact the Uncompahgre Field Office.

Needle Rock is an intrusive of rhyodacite volcanic plug located in the Needle Rock Natural Area, 3.5 miles east-northeast of the Town of Crawford in Delta County, Colorado, United States. It stands 800 feet tall above the floor of the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River valley. It originated as the throat of a large volcano about 28 million years ago in the Miocene geological epoch, when molten rock intruded between existing sedimentary rocks. The plug may represent the eroded conduit of a laccolith. There are private property parcels around the base, but there is a BLM trail that more or less rings the Needle.<p><br>Needle Rock lies within the western edge of the West Elk Mountains in western central Colorado. It is the remnant of a volcanic plug that pushed up through the crust, and due to the relative hardness of the basalt of which it is made, has eroded significantly slower than the surrounding mancos shale and sandstone that makes up many of the rocks in the area. Needle Rock Trail is a 0.8 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Crawford, Colorado that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. For more information, please contact the Uncompahgre Field Office.

Paonia Reservoir

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Needle Rock ONA/ACEC