Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is often described as a “mini-Grand Canyon.”

And while it is certainly grand--and definitely a canyon--Black Canyon of the Gunnison is an experience all its own.

A 4-hour drive west of Colorado Springs, the park is just east of the city of Montrose, Colorado.

On the way there, you will drive along the shores of the beautiful Blue Mesa Reservoir, which makes this road trip especially good for photographs and potentially some boating or fishing.

So even getting there can be fun.

When you first see actually see the massive gorge, it’s a bit startling. There are no signs that a canyon would exist in such a place, and even early Spanish explorers overlooked it.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Tomichi Point

Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Tomichi Point

Makes you wonder who was the first man on his horse who came up on it and had to say, “Whoa.”

The Park features painted walls, sheer cliffs, and deep, narrow corridors.

The Canyon gets its name because the Gunnison River created the canyon, and the walls are so deep and so sheer and narrow, that sunlight can barely penetrate to the bottom.

The river drops an average of 43 feet per mile through the canyon. In comparison, the Colorado River (that flows through the Grand Canyon) drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile.

Gunnison Point - Near the Visitor's Center

Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Gunnison Point

There is a Visitor’s Center near the entrance, with different exhibits that teach about the formation of the canyon as well as the wildlife and vegetation.

Right up the sidewalk is the awesome Gunnison Point.

The rest of the park features several drive-to stopping points where you can walk out, gaze down at the canyon, and take lots of photos.

Some of the must-see overlooks are:

* Gunnison Point

* Pulpit Rock Overlook

* Cross Fissures View

* Devils Lookout

* Painted Wall

* Sunset View

If you can time it right, check out Sunset View at sunset. It’s definitely worth it.

But Painted Wall was our favorite. It's Colorado's highest sheer cliff at 2,250 feet.

Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Painted Wall

Something that surprised us were all the birds. There are so many different types of birds soaring and floating and darting around in the canyon.

Some of them include:

* White-throated swift

* Canyon wren

* Peregrine falcon

* Great horned owl

If you want to spend some time in the park, campsites are also available (not in winter) on both the South Rim and North Rim.

Getting There:

From Colorado Springs, take South Nevada Ave until it becomes CO-115 soutwest out of town 31 miles. Merge onto US-50 West 178 miles and watch for the signs.

For more information:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
102 Elk Creek
Gunnison, CO 81230
970-641-2337
www.nps.gov/blca

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