One Day at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: Complete Guide + One Day Itinerary
Plan the perfect trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with this complete travel guide. Featuring everything you need to know before you go, including things to do, when to go, what to bring + a one day itinerary.
Steep cliffs, rugged spires, and ancient rock pretty much describes Black Canyon of the Gunnison in a nutshell. This unique national park, located in western Colorado, is the 5th steepest mountain descent with near vertical canyon walls spanning 2,700 feet deep. That’s almost double the height of the Empire State Building.
One of the most distinct aspects of Black Canyon is that parts of this massive gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day. This creates a unique environment for black bears, mountain lions, river otters, bighorn sheep, weasels, and much more. You can easily see Black Canyon of the Gunnison in one day making this a easy day trip from nearby areas.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
About Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Getting to Black Canyon
When to Visit
What to Bring
Amenities Nearby
Top Things to Do
ABOUT BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a 30,750 acre national park in west Colorado. It was established in 1999 and is one of the four national parks found in Colorado. The park is known for the steep cliffs found by looking over the 2,700 feet deep gorge created by the Gunnison river approximately 2 million years ago.
The park is separated into 2 areas, the North Rim and the South Rim. The most accessible and developed is the South Rim, offering a visitor center, paved roads, and draws the most crowds. The North Rim is much more primitive and quiet with limited services. Both rims offer hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and camping.
No reservations are required to enter Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
ENTRANCE FEE
$30 per vehicle which is valid for 7 days. You can also use the America the Beautiful National Park pass to enter for free.
PET POLICY
Pets must be leashed at all times and no longer than 6 feet in length. They are allowed at all overlooks, on the Rim Rock Trail, North Rim Chasm View Nature Trail, picnic areas, campgrounds, and parking lots. They aren’t allowed on any other park trails.
Always check for current conditions before planning a trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
GETTING TO BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is located in Western Colorado surrounded by the Uncompahgre, Grand Mesa, and Gunnison National Forests. The South Rim is located 7 miles north on CO HWY 347 just a short drive from a town of Montrose. The North Rim is located 11 miles southeast of Crawford. It can take 2 or 3 hours to drive from one rim to the other.
Montrose - 12 miles or 20 minutes
Ouray - 48 miles or 1 hour
Grand Junction - 72 miles or 1.5 hours
Denver - 262 miles or 5 hours
Colorado Springs - 233 miles or 4.5 hours
NEAREST AIRPORTS
Montrose Regional Airport
Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport
Grand Junction Regional Airport
Denver International Airport
WHEN TO VISIT
The most ideal time to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is from May to November when all the parks amenities are open and available.
MAY - NOVEMBER
The full Rim Drive is open, all campsites are available, water is accessible and weather is ideal.
NOVEMBER - APRIL
South Rim Drive is closed past Gunnison Point/Visitor Center. Limited campsites are open in South Rim Campground. North Rim campground and scenic drive is closed. No water is available in the park.
WHAT TO BRING
Plenty of Water
Be sure to pack extra water and stay hydrated while exploring. We love using our insulated water bottles to have ice cold water for the whole day.
Sun Protectant
The trails and overlooks are completely exposed so it’s best to bring your favorite sunscreen and wear sun protectant clothing when exploring.
First Aid Kit
It’s never a bad idea to carry a small first aid kit while exploring in Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Cell service doesn’t really exist in the park so it’s good to be prepared in case of an emergency.
Lunch / Snacks
It is highly recommended to pick a lunch and snacks when visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison. There aren’t any food options in the park, so it’s a good idea to pack a good lunch and plenty of snacks.
Hiking Sticks
These have been a LIFE SAVER. Hiking sticks are so helpful in giving you extra support as you climb up steep trails as well as coming down steep trails. They provide extra stability and we no longer hike without them.
Hiking Shoes
To have the most comfortable experience on the trails we recommend wearing a proper hiking shoe or boot to provide traction and support.
AMENTIES NEARBY
IN THE PARK
VISITOR CENTER
Open year round and a great place to start your adventure in Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Load up on info, pick up a park map, and get exploring. Here you can also find water filling stations ( summer only ), restrooms, gift shop, & museum exhibit. Wilderness permits can be picked up at the South Rim Visitor Center.
SOUTH RIM CAMPGROUND
Open year round and located 1 mile south the South Rim Visitor Center. The campground has 88 sites, 23 of which have electric hookups. Each sites comes with a picnic table & grill/firepit, and can accommodate up to 8 people. All water is hauled into the park and is available in summer months only. There is no dump station. Only electric sites are open in winter.
Mid May to mid September sites can be reserved online at recreation.gov.
Sites are $16 - $22 per night.
NORTH RIM CAMPGROUND
Open mid April to mid November and located half a mile from the North Rim Ranger Station. There are 13 sites, each site is dry camping, comes with a picnic table & grill/firepit, and can accommodate up to 8 people. All water is hauled into the park and is available in summer months only. There is no dump station. Max length is 22 ft. Closed in winter. All sites in the North Rim Campground on first come first served.
Sites are $16 per night.
TOWNS NEARBY
MONTROSE
Known as the Gateway to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
LODGING
Super 8
Days Inn
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Hampton Inn
Quality Inn & Suites
Old School Lodge
Country Lodge
Canyon Creek Bed & Breakfast
RV PARKS
Cedar Creek Lodging & RV Park
Riverbed RV Park & Cabins
KOA Journey
Black Canyon RV Park & Campground
Uncompahgre River RV Park
FOOD
Safeway
City Market
Kroger
Natural Grocers
Walmart
Starvin’ Arvin’s
El Jimador
MIMO’S
Mi Mexico
The Cabin Restaurant
Camp Robber
TOP THINGS TO DO
South Rim Visitor Center
Start your exploration of Black Canyon of the Gunnison at the Visitor Center. Grab a park map and check out the park movie to learn about the history and geology of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Stop at the restroom and get the latest scoop from the park ranger. Don’t forget to pick up a souvenir at the park store.
Rim Drive
If you’re not interested in hiking, then look no further than the scenic overlooks along the South or North Rim Road. These are some of best places to take in the views, have a picnic and marvel at the forces of nature at work. The South Rim Drive is a paved 7 mile drive and has 12 overlooks. The North Rim is a unpaved 3 mile drive with 6 overlooks. The overlooks you cannot miss are, Gunnison Point, Chasm View, Painted Wall, and Sunset View, all located on the South Rim.
Get on a Trail
A great way to explore the incredible nature of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Whether it’s an easy scenic stroll or a challenging day hike, Black Canyon has something for everyone. The most popular in the park Rim Rock Nature Trail, Warner Point Nature Trail, Oak Flat Loop, Gunnison Route.
For easy trails consider | Warner Point Nature Trail, Exclamation Point, Chasm View Nature Trail, Uplands Trail, Cedar Point Nature Trail
For moderate trails consider | Oak Flat Loop, Rim Rock Nature Trail, North Vista
For strenuous trail consider | Gunnison Route, Deadhorse
Rock Climbing
For a unique experience at Black Canyon explore one of the 145 climbing routes available in the park. Climbers are required to obtain a free permit from the visitor center the day of your trip. Peak climbing season at Black Canyon is from mid April to mid June and mid September to mid November.
For more information about rock climbing in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, visit the park website.
Experience the Night Sky
For a memorial experience attend the Astronomy Festival and experience what a truly dark sky looks like. Held over a weekend in September, the Astronomy Festival at Black Canyon of the Gunnison offers day time ranger talks paired with night sky viewing.
Parks as Classrooms
What better way to learn then by bringing the classroom to the park! The National Park System provides a series of curriculum covering topics such a math, science, social studies, and language arts for elementary and middle school learners. A great option for homeschooling or field trips.
Junior Ranger Program
If you’re not able to plan a visit to Black Canyon then this is great way for you’re kids to still learn about the park without actually being there. The Virtual Junior Ranger Program consists of a series of videos and activities to complete with a Virtual Badge to be given at the end.
ONE DAY ITINERARY
Stop 1. Tomichi Point Scenic Overlook.
Stop 2. Check out the Visitor Center and Gunnison Point Overlook.
Stop 3. Walk the Rim Rock Trail or the Oak Flat Trail. Note: Pets are only allowed on the Rim Rock Trail.
Stop 4. Pulpit Rock Scenic Overlook.
Stop 5. Devils Lookout Scenic Overlook.
Stop 6. Chasm View & Painted Wall Scenic Overlook.
Stop 7. Cedar Point & Dragon Point Scenic Overlook.
Stop 8. Sunset Overlook.
Stop 9. Warner Point Nature Trail.
Stop 10. If possible camp overnight and experience the dark skies.
Let us know in the comments about your experience at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
SAVE THIS GUIDE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP TO BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK!
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WE’RE MIKE & DEANDRA.
Two adventure seekers traveling the U.S in our 37 FT. travel trailer with our two companions, Griffin & Lucy. We share our life on the road and travel guides to our favorite destinations.
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