Black Canyon Of The Gunnison Travel

♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA

General

The Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park is located in western Colorado. The deep ravine was carved by the river and other forces of nature millions of years ago. It became a US National Park only in 1999. This is a very impressive national park featuring an extremely deep canyon surrounded by towering jagged mountains. The park contains about 22 kilometers of the Colorado River crossing it and part of the intersection of the Gunnison River with the Colorado River.

View of the Painted Wall in the canyon:

The canyon is called "Black" because sunlight reaches parts of it for only 33 minutes a day. Consequently, the canyon is in shadow most of the time, making the color of its rocky walls appear black. This results from the combination of the canyon's depth, the fact that it is relatively narrow, and its extreme steepness.

At its narrowest point, the Chasm View overlook, the canyon's width is only 12 meters at the river level.

The Ute Indians discovered the canyon years before the first Europeans arrived in the area. They called the area "many rocks, big water" and likely avoided approaching it due to its threatening black color and various superstitions. The park hosts a wide variety of birds, including many birds of prey, as well as other wildlife such as black bears, mountain lions, and a large variety of deer.

The park is also rich in vegetation, including many wildflowers:

Wildflowers in Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Park Location:

The park is located about a 5-hour drive (400 km) southwest of Denver, Colorado, where the nearest international airport to the park is located. It is about 3 hours (250 km) east of the town of Moab, which is adjacent to the "Arches" and "Canyonlands" National Parks in Utah, about 4:30 hours (315 km) north of the amazing Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado, and about 5:40 hours (540 km) southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah (which also has an international airport).

Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is located on the main highway, Interstate 70, and connects Denver to the state of Utah. Grand Junction is located about a 1:20 hour drive (90 km) from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Accommodation Recommendations:

♦ Montrose is the nearest town to the South Rim of the National Park. A small regional airport is also located there. The variety of accommodation options there is quite limited. The two most recommended hotels there are:

Hampton Inn Montrose A high-quality motel (considered the best in town) belonging to the Hilton chain, featuring spacious rooms suitable for 2-4 adults plus 2 children. The hotel has an indoor pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Breakfast is included in the price. Free internet and parking.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Montrose – Townsend A recommended motel with an indoor pool, jacuzzi, gym, and BBQ facilities. Breakfast is included in the price. Free internet and parking. If you prefer to stay in a larger city with more options, adjacent to Colorado's wine region and other attractions, it is recommended to stay in Grand Junction:

♦ Recommended hotels in Grand Junction, Colorado:

Candlewood Suites Grand Junction A suite hotel with attractive prices, offering studios and one-bedroom suites with a living room suitable for 4 adults and 2 children. All rooms have a kitchenette. The hotel has a small convenience store and a gym. Free internet and parking. Best Western Grande River Inn & Suites A hotel with spacious rooms and suites intended for 2-4 adults accompanied by 2 children. Some suites have a jacuzzi in the bathroom. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Each room includes a refrigerator and microwave. Breakfast is included in the price. Free internet and parking. The Bookcliffs Bed & Breakfast A high-quality Bed and Breakfast spread over extensive grounds with bike paths. Features double rooms with unique designs. Free internet and parking.

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Recommended Itineraries

Below are sample travel itineraries; there are many other wonderful and varied options, depending on the season, duration of the trip, and personal preferences.

For nature lovers, it is great to combine a trip from Denver to Salt Lake City visiting the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with a visit to the National Parks of Utah, Arches and Canyonlands, and in the state of Wyoming at the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, via Salt Lake City.

Another great option for culture, town, and city enthusiasts combined with nature: a combined trip in the states of Utah and New Mexico: from Denver via Glenwood Springs, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the nature parks of Utah Arches and Canyonlands, Mesa Verde Park in southwest Colorado, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and the Indian tribes in southern New Mexico, down to Colorado Springs and Denver in central Colorado.

Park Access Roads and Hiking Trails

About 200,000 tourists visit the park annually, a relatively low number resulting from its remote location from any major city. Similar to the Grand Canyon, this park also has two rims: the South Rim, where you can travel year-round, and the North Rim, which is closed to visitors in winter.

The park has two entrances. The South Rim entrance is located about a 20-minute drive (22 km) northeast of the town of Montrose, and the North Rim entrance is located about 18 kilometers south of Crawford.

Since there is no bridge across the canyon connecting the two rims, a drive of about two to three hours is required between them. The best starting point for a trip to the South Rim is the South Rim Visitor Center.

Model of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison at the visitor center:

South Rim Drive

The most recommended way to tour the South Rim of the park is by driving on the South Rim Drive, which extends for about 11 kilometers from Tomichi Point to High Point. Along the road, you will find twelve observation points presenting spectacular views of the Black Canyon. At some points, you can look down to the bottom of the canyon, at a depth of over 600 meters! Most observation points can be reached via short walking trails.

The leading observation points are: Gunnison Point, Sunset Point, Cross Fissures View,

Cross Fissures View:

Painted Wall Overlook and Chasm View:

Blue Mesa Point is the meeting point of the park with the Blue Mesa Reservoir and is home to the largest campground in the park. It is an excellent starting point for boating and fishing, and several hiking trails also depart from there.

The best trails on the South Rim:

Cedar Point Nature Trail – an easy trail about a kilometer long. The trail passes through beautiful vegetation. At the end of the trail are two wonderful viewpoints over the Gunnison River, from which you can also see the famous Painted Wall.

Warner Point Nature Trail – an easy trail about 2.5 kilometers long. While walking on the vegetation-rich trail, you can see the West Elk Mountains to the north and the San Juan Mountains, Bostwick Park, and the Uncompahgre Valley to the south. At the end of the trail are wonderful viewpoints over the Gunnison River and the Black Canyon.

Difficult trails, involving a descent to the canyon floor where the Gunnison River flows turbulently, are suitable for experienced adventure enthusiasts only. The most impressive are: The trail leading to Devil’s Lookout and Pulpit Rock Overlook.

The view from Pulpit Rock Overlook:

The Black Canyon is also popular among professional rock climbers who scale the steep cliffs. Rafting and kayaking on the river are also for the daring only. The river rapids are Grade 3-4 and access to the river is challenging.

North Rim

Visiting the North Rim of the park (which is closed to visitors in winter) is recommended only if you have two full days for touring the area or if you have already toured the South Rim in the past. On the North Rim, a small Ranger Station is active in summer where park rangers distribute maps and provide up-to-date information on trails and viewpoints. There are 5 observation points along the North Rim that can be reached by car.

Recommended trails on the North Rim:

Chasm View Nature Trail – a short (but medium difficulty) trail about half a kilometer long, reaching two viewpoints. At one, you can clearly see the Gunnison River, and at the second, the Painted Wall and Serpent Point.

North Vista Trail is a highly recommended trail for those looking for good views of the area and those interested in birdwatching. One can settle for the first part of the trail, which continues along the north edge and reaches Exclamation Point; its length is about 2.4 kilometers each way. At this point, you can find spectacular views of the interior part of the Black Canyon.