Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the Gunnison River sculpted this canyon over two million years. The result is a vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park of the United States located in western Colorado and managed by the National Park Service. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was established as a national monument on March 2, 1933. It was redesignated a national park on October 21, 1999, and incorporated 4,000 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area was created at the same time. There are two primary entrances to the park: the south rim entrance is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Montrose, while the north rim entrance is 11 miles (18 km) south of Crawford and is closed in the winter. The park contains 12 miles (19 km) of the 48-mile-long (77 km) Gunnison River. The national park itself contains the deepest and most dramatic section of the canyon, but the canyon continues upstream into Curecanti National Recreation Area and downstream into Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. The canyon's name owes itself to the fact that parts of the gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day, according to Images of America: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. In the book, author Duane Vandenbusche states, "Several canyons of the American West are longer and some are deeper, but none combines the depth, sheerness, narrowness, darkness, and dread of the Black Canyon."

Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04

• Cross-country Skiing at Black Canyon

  In winter, South Rim Drive is closed to vehicles beyond the visitor center at Gunnison Point. As staffing and snow conditions allow, rangers groom the remainder of the road for cross-country skiing (skate and classic) and snowshoeing.

• Snowshoeing at Black Canyon

  Although services and access are limited during winter, the park provides recreation opportunities for winter enthusiasts.

• Hike Rim Rock Trail - South Rim

  This 1-mile (1.6 km) trail, which meanders along the canyon rim, connects the South Rim Visitor Center to the South Rim Campground.

• Hike Uplands Trail - South Rim

  This .9-mile (1.4 km) trail links the Rim Rock Trail (near the campground) to the upper Oak Flat Loop Trail near the South Rim Visitor Center.

• Stargazing at Black Canyon

  Black Canyon has exceptional opportunities to view the night skies. Choose overlooks far from the road for optimal stargazing and astrophotography or join one of the park's telescope viewing programs during summer.

• Tour the South Rim Drive

  The South Rim Drive is a scenic paved road that follows the canyon rim for 7 miles from Tomichi Point to High Point and features 12 overlooks.

• Hike North Vista Trail - North Rim

  Constructed by the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, the North Vista Trail offers some of the best scenic views and birding in the park. Difficulty varies from moderate to strenuous based on distance.

• Hike Deadhorse Trail - North Rim

  Deadhorse Trail takes hikers into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness Area. It offers good views of Deadhorse Gulch and East Portal on the Gunnison River, as well as good birding.

Source: National Park Service

• Grand Mesa
  Nationally designated · 19 mi away
• San Juan Skyway
  Nationally designated · 25 mi away
• Silver Thread Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway
  Nationally designated · 27 mi away

• Cedaredge Overlook
  26 mi away
• Land of Lakes Overlook
  29 mi away