The Black Canyon of the Gunnison River is one of Colorado’s most incredible sites. A true testament to the power of erosion, this canyon is almost 2,000 feet deep, and spans 1,000 at the rim at its narrowest point. It’s rugged cliffs make it difficult for sunlight to penetrate the depths in some parts. The dramatic cliffs, spectacular rock colors, and raging river below make this national park a must-see for anyone visiting Colorado or the Southwestern United States.
Our family explored Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park by first driving the 7-mile South Rim Road through the park. We stopped at all of the viewpoints along this journey, our favorites of which were Pulpit Rock Overlook, Painted Wall Overlook, and Warner Point. Make sure to make a stop at the Visitor Center first, and step outside to Gunnison Overlook there, one of the most incredible views in the park.
When we reached the end of the 7 mile drive, High Point, we disembarked to hike to Warner Point, a 1.5 mile hike to a gorgeous overlook into the canyon. Along the way, we had the most spectacular views of the San Juan and West Elk Mountains.
After our hike that afternoon, we returned at sunset to our campground, the South Rim Campground, located in the park only 4 miles from the South Rim Visitor Center. This campground was conveniently located, and we were happy to have electrical hookups, but keep in mind that there is no dump station or RV water filling station (only a bottle filling station). The town of Montrose is also located just outside the park for anyone desiring hotel lodging. The stars were spectatular that evening, and we enjoyed stargazing together before bed, even spotting Saturn and Neptune!
After a good night’s sleep, we woke up the next morning for another hike before our departure. Our trail of choice was the 2-mile Rim Rock Trail, which we took from the South Rim Campground to the South Rim Visitor Center (you can also take this hike in the reverse direction). The views down into the canyon were gorgeous in the early morning sun
We hit the road midday for Moab, Utah. It had been a great few days in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park!
