One of the “youngest” national parks, Black Canyon of the Gunnison is still a sight to behold. Located just outside of Montrose, Colorado, this small section of the Gunnison River still has some spectacular views. The section of the canyon the park encompasses holds some of the steepest and darkest sections in the world. Some areas only receive 30 minutes of direct sunlight due to the steepness and narrowness of the gorge!
Exploring the South Rim
While we visited, we only explored the south rim, but like the Grand Canyon National Park, the experience on either side can be different. Along the south rim, we drove the scenic drive. It had many outlooks showcasing the unique geology of the park. While there were several short hikes listed on the map, we didn’t elect to try any of them. To our knowledge, there is no “rim to rim” hiking option without a backcountry permit. Most of that hike would be more akin to rock climbing than hiking.
However, hiking isn’t the only way to the bottom. There is a road on the south rim to the “East Portal.” It is named after the east end of the Gunnison Tunnel, which finished in 1909 and is still one of the largest hand-dug irrigation tunnels in the world. The road down to the river, however, is a 16% grade and not to be trifled with! Large vehicles are prohibited, and even in our toad, we had to be very careful with engine breaking, even pulling off at one of the many pullouts to let our brakes cool down!
We were rewarded, however, with some breathtaking views of the canyon from below and a very memorable trip!
So if you’re in the area, be sure to give Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park a visit, but leave the RV at home (or at your campsite!).