Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Visited: May 2017

Nearby city: Montrose, CO

"Several canyons of the American West are longer and some are deeper, but none combines the depth, sheerness, narrowness, darkness, and dread of the Black Canyon."
-author Duane Vandenbusche

As the Gunnison River runs it way through central and southwestern Colorado, it cuts a very narrow and steep canyon whose walls are usually shrouded in shadow, the aptly named Black Canyon. Although not the largest or deepest canyon in the country, Black Canyon's steep walls are so jarring and dramatic, the views rivals those of even the Grand Canyon.

At its narrowest point, the canyon is only 40 ft wide at the river. The Gunnison River rips through the canyon, dropping an average of 96 feet per mile in the Park, making for incredible rapids that only an expert should handle.

Most visitors go to the South Rim. It's close to the outdoor adventure town of Montrose, it's much more developed and is accessed by a paved road, contains the visitor center, and most of the overlooks, viewpoints, and trails that descend into the canyon. The North Rim is much more remote (it's an 80+ mile drive from the South Rim) and is only accessed by an unpaved, gravel road.

We visited the South Rim. You can pretty much see all the main attractions in half a day. Black Canyon is a great Park for a day trip. If you want to spend more time, there is lots of campground sites on either rim or at the riverbank (accessed by East Portal Road on the South Rim). If you want to hike down into the canyon you need to get a permit. It's free, but bear in mind the trails that lead down to the river are extremely precarious and not maintained. You can also drive down to the canyon floor at East Portal (on the eastern edge of the park), but the road is closed in winter and is very steep and narrow.

Check out the Visitor Center right at the South Rim Entrance. Then we headed to Pulpit Rock overlook, and got our first glimpse of the canyon.

At the end of the South Rim Road is the trailhead to Warner Point. It's a 1.5 mile roundtrip. Enjoy the views of the faraway San Juan Mountains to the south and Warner Point is an outstanding view of the Black Canyon.

The views at Warner Point:

Some of the most dramatic views of the canyon are found at the Painted Wall. You have lots of overlooks to choose from along the South Rim Road, such as Dragon Point, Cedar Point, Painted Wall View, and Chasm View.

Juniper Tree

The Painted Wall, at 2,250 ft, is the tallest sheer cliff in the state of Colorado. It would dwarf Willis (or Sears) Tower in Chicago, the tallest building in the country. The stripes of lighter covered rock in the cliff face make for an outstanding view.

The Black Canyon is a great place to get away from the crowds and contemplate the beauty of nature without hardly venturing from your car. It's a great day trip, but make sure to get out of the car and stretch your legs on one of the short hikes and enjoy the overlooks. For more info, check out: https://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm