Black Canyon of the Gunnison
A sheer, narrow gorge of ancient dark rock plunging up to 2,700 feet to the Gunnison River
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- $30 per car
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- About 30,780 acres
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the steepest and narrowest deep canyons in North America. Over about 2 million years the Gunnison River cut down through very hard Precambrian rock that is about 1.7 billion years old, and parts of the gorge get only a short spell of direct sunlight each day, which gives it its dark look. At its deepest the canyon drops about 2,722 feet below Warner Point, and at Chasm View the rims are only about 1,100 feet apart. It became a national monument in 1933 and a national park in 1999.
Most visitors drive the South Rim Road and walk out to overlooks that sit right on the edge of the gorge. The inner canyon is designated wilderness with no maintained trails, only steep, unmarked scramble routes for experienced hikers. Rock climbers come for the big walls, and anglers come for Gold Medal trout water on the river. A lightning-caused wildfire in July 2025 burned about 4,200 acres on the South Rim, so some trails and campsites now pass through burned forest.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- May, June, September and early October bring mild weather and open roads on both rims, with fall color in the oak brush in late September.
- How long to stay
- One day covers the South Rim; add a second day for the North Rim or East Portal.
- Getting there
- Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) is about 25 minutes from the South Rim and Grand Junction (GJT) about 1.5 hours; Denver (DEN) is about 5 to 6 hours by car.
- Wildlife
- Look for mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, black bears, peregrine falcons, golden eagles, ravens and white-throated swifts.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Montrose (opens in a new tab)Colorado
- Hotels in Crawford (opens in a new tab)Colorado
- Hotels in Delta (opens in a new tab)Colorado
- No lodging inside the park. The towns above are the closest bases.
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- BinocularsGreat for spotting climbers on the walls and raptors soaring in the canyon.
- Hiking shoes with good gripRim trails are rocky and some now cross uneven burned ground.
- Water bottles or jugsPark water is off from October through April and limited even in summer.
- Light insulated jacketThe rims sit around 8,000 feet, and mornings and evenings are cool.
- Trekking polesHelpful on the steep scramble routes into the inner canyon.
A first day, start to finish
- South Rim Visitor Center and Gunnison Point
- Pulpit Rock and Chasm View overlooks
- Painted Wall View
- Warner Point Nature Trail at High Point
- Sunset at Sunset View
Don't miss
- Painted WallColorado's tallest cliff at 2,250 feet, streaked with pale pegmatite bands, seen from Painted Wall View on the South Rim Road.
- South Rim RoadA 7-mile paved drive with a dozen overlooks, including Gunnison Point, Pulpit Rock, Chasm View and Sunset View, ending at High Point.
- Warner Point Nature TrailA 1.5-mile round-trip walk from High Point to views of the canyon, the San Juan Mountains and the Uncompahgre Valley.
- North RimA quieter gravel road with overlooks like The Narrows and Chasm View, where the canyon walls are closest together; about 2 to 3 hours' drive from the South Rim.
- East Portal RoadA steep, winding road with a 16% grade down to the river at canyon bottom, closed to vehicles over 22 feet and closed in winter.
Know before you go
Do
- Bring a card or buy a digital pass ahead, since the park and its campgrounds do not take cash.
- Download the Recreation.gov app before you arrive, because cell service is limited at the campgrounds.
- Bring your own water from October through April, when park water is shut off.
Don't
- Climb over railings or walk to unfenced rim edges; the drops are sheer and the rock can be loose.
- Hike into the inner canyon without a wilderness permit, even for a day trip.
- Plan to drive between rims quickly; there is no bridge, and the trip around takes 2 to 3 hours.
The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. The South Rim Road is open to cars from about late April until the first big snow, then closes beyond the visitor center at Gunnison Point and is groomed for skiing; the gravel North Rim Road also closes to cars with the first significant snow, typically mid-November until May. The South Rim Visitor Center is open daily with seasonal hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in fall and winter), and the steep East Portal Road closes in winter.
Visit Chasm View on the South Rim and then Painted Wall View just past it in late afternoon, when light hits the Painted Wall.Trekker's tip