Montrose, CO – Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a great stop for anyone traveling in south central Colorado on Highway 50. Located about midway between the cities of Montrose and Gunnison, this park offers something for the whole family. Most people will spend about half a day here, and entirely at the south rim as its the easiest to access. The views of the canyon from any point along the rim are stunning, with the deepest view (2772 feet) located at Warner Point.
Start your day at the Visitor Center, which has excellent displays on the geography and climatic forces that shaped the canyon. The view from the visitor is also excellent; indeed, if you’re in a hurry, at least enjoy the view before continuing your journey. There are two hiking trails that take off from the visitor center, and both are worth your time. The first, and easiest, is the 1 mile Rim Rock Nature Trail and the other, and more strenuous, is the 2 mile Oak Flat Loop Trail.
View of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
One of the viewing platforms at Black Canyon of the Gunnison
After that aerobic warm up, continue driving along the South Rim Road, stopping and exploring the viewpoints/trails along the way (about 1.5 miles additional hiking). At the very end is my favorite hike, Warner Point trail, about 1.5 miles. As you travel through mountain mahogany, serviceberry, pinyon pine, and juniper, enjoy views of the San Juan Mountain Range and Uncompahgre Valley.
The stunning walls of the canyon
Another view of the Gunnison River in the Black Canyon
For those seeking more adventure (and having more time), I highly recommend traveling to the north rim, which is a good 2.5 hour drive from the south rim, each way. You’ll be rewarded with (arguably) better views than the south rim and with a fraction of the tourists. There are an additional 15 miles of trail to explore here, of which I’ve done and recommend the Deadhorse Trail (5 miles) and Chasm View Nature Trail (.33 miles).
This section of spectacular canyon wall showcases pegmatite
The Gunnison River carved the canyon
Wall of the Black Canyon
There are campgrounds at both the south and north rims, although we’ve not stayed at either. Note that RVs greater than 35 feet are not recommended at the north rim campground. Neither campground has a dump station, but the south rim does have water available from mid-May to Mid-October.
