Black Canyon of the Gunnison
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison
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Find: Black Canyon Visitor Guide
Only a high volume, high velocity river like the Gunnison could have produced such a breath-taking canyon! The dimensions of the canyon are impressive to say the least. Two Empire State Buildings stacked on top of one another would easily fit into Black Canyon. In fact, the canyon is deep enough to cover three distinct life zones. Whether you view the canyon walls from one of many overlooks, from one of the inner canyon routes, or even from the bottom looking up, you will probably notice a difference in its two walls. The south-facing wall of the canyon is extremely steep and sparsely vegetated, while the north-facing wall is not as steep and often thick with vegetation - making the canyon look somewhat like a lop-sided “V”. Basically, the rocks on one side of the canyon are being broken up or eroded more quickly than the rocks of the other side. The striking difference between the canyon walls is mainly due to the amount of sunlight hitting these walls, which in turn determines the amount of freezing and thawing occurring on each wall. The park is located approximately 250 miles southwest of Denver. Scenic drives along the North Rim and South Rim offer numerous viewpoints to gaze into the depths below. The North Rim road and ranger station are closed during the winter months. While there is no lodging or foodservice in the park, these can be found in the nearby towns of Montrose, Gunnison and Cimarron. There are campgrounds on both rims with additional sites in the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area. For more information visit: This page last updated: |
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NOTICE! |
No other canyon in North America combines the narrow
opening, sheer walls, and startling depths presented by the Black Canyon
of the Gunnison. Carved over millions of
years by runoff from the Sawatch Range
to the east, the Elk Range to the north, and the San Juan Range to the
south, the story of Black Canyon is one of water cutting downward
through black volcanic rock, slowly sculpting the spectacular defile we
see today. 