How to Explore Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
Black Canyon National Park has only recently been designated a national park. Located approximately 250 miles (halfway) between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colorado, and a little over 60 miles south of Interstate 70, the park encompasses a northern canyon on the Colorado plateau.With each rim forested in green, the black walls of the canyon, marble-like and often in shadow, appear to absorb sunlight and reflect it downward to the rushing Gunnison below. At half the depth of the Grand Canyon, the Black Canyon is much narrower (less then 100 feet in places). Once you reach an overlook or viewing area, you can experience the excitement and fear of peering into a sheer chasm.
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Instructions
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Drive north from Las Vegas or south from Salt Lake City on Interstate 15 to Cove Fort, Utah, then travel east on Interstate 70. Visitors from Salt Lake may opt to exit on State Highway 28 at Nephi for a substantial shortcut. From Interstate 70 into Colorado, exit south at Grand Junction and take U.S. 50 past Montrose, following the brown National Park directional signs and State Highway 347 north.
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Or, drive south from Denver International Airport and access Interstate 70 west. This is the preferred itinerary. Cross the Colorado Rockies and the Continental Divide. Upon reaching Grand Junction, follow the directions above.
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Take the South Rim Drive and stop at any designated viewpoint along the road. The drive extends some seven miles before terminating at High Point. Most hiking trails in this area are designated easy.
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Return from the drive and take the East Portal Road: a narrow, hair-pinned, five-mile-per-hour road that descends from the rim into the canyon and down to the river. From the campground at East Portal, a trail follows the river quite a distance into the canyon. Temperature at this point can be almost unbearable.
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Take the North Rim Drive by backtracking back to the town of Montrose and north to Delta. From Delta, drive west on State Highway 92 to Hotchkiss and then south to Crawford. Crawford State Park is the North Rim Road access point. Note that the North Rim is closed in winter.
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Take the drive westward to the Chasm View and the North Vista trail. This is possibly the most strenuous hike in the park, extending seven miles to Green Mountain.
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Take the drive eastward to the Kneeling Camel View, where an easier trek will allow for a spectacular view of Dead Horse Gulch.
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Plan to travel in summer when the weather is more consistent. This is a considerably lesser-traveled park in the system. Crowds should be rare on either rim.
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Make reservations at either of the two campgrounds (one on the South Rim, one on the North Rim). Montrose also has a wide range of restaurants and motels.
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Tips & Warnings
Beware of snakes along the canyon floor.
