Cool Things to Do at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

April 14, 2021

Named for its deep, dark chasms descending 2,722 feet from rim to river, Black Canyon of the Gunnison is regarded as one of North America’s most impressive canyons. Often referred to as Colorado’s Grand Canyon, there are many unique things to do and see at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, making this a perfect destination for those exploring Colorado Road Trip Ideas or weekend trips from Denver. I say weekend trips as the drive from Denver averages about 5 hours each way, so it’s not among the Best Denver Day Trips…. unless you’ve got a fetish for insanely long mountain drives. 😂

What is Black Canyon of the Gunnison Known For?

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is best known for its cliffs of ancient rock that dive fast into a churning, narrow gorge. Its width tightens to a mere 40 feet across in the Inner Canyon. The deepest canyon in Colorado, portions of it remain in a constant shadow. Some areas only receive about 30 minutes of daylight per day, hence the name.

Among the main attractions is the Painted Wall (seen above). Rising to 2,250 feet above the Gunnison River, the Painted Wall is taller than all but one of the tallest man-made structures in the world, the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai at 2,717 feet.

How does Black Canyon of the Gunnison compare to the Grand Canyon?

The deepest section of the Grand Canyon is about 6,000 feet deep, with the average being about 5,280 feet or 1 mile deep. The deepest section of Black Canyon of the Gunnison is 2,722 feet deep, so you can fit just about two Black Canyons within one Grand Canyon. 🤓

Best Views in Black Canyon of the Gunnison

There are 12 overlook viewpoints with ample parking along South Rim Road and 5 viewpoints along the unpaved North Rim Road. Most overlooks require a short walk, but Pulpit Rock, Chasm View, and Sunset View are all fully accessible.

Visitors can view the Painted Wall from both the South Rim via Painted Wall View Trail and on the North Rim via Chasm View Trail. Gunnison Point, located just behind the South Rim Visitor Center, is among the most popular and is often a great place to begin your Black Canyon experience. Cedar Point View (seen above) is another amazing lookout spot along the South Rim.

Is Black Canyon of the Gunnison Worth Seeing?

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is Colorado’s least-visited National Park, which makes it a great contender for anyone who hates crowds (us). Colorado has become such a popular destination for travelers from both near and far. As a result, the most popular attractions like Rocky Mountain National Park have become annoyingly packed during the peak summer months. Take it from a person who’s lived here for a while, nothing sucks more than a crowded trail.

Apart from the lack of crowds, the impressive views, distinct terrain and unique geology make the long trip here truly worth it. And if you love to camp and hike, there are some great options to do both.

How Long Does it Take to See Black Canyon of the Gunnison?

Visiting the South Rim can be a relatively quick and easy experience. If you’re not interested in hiking, driving the 7-mile road from the Visitor’s Center to High Point and seeing all the overlook points can be done in about 2-3 hours, depending on how quickly you walk and take photographs.

If you’re planning to hike 1 or 2 of the short and easy trails along the South Rim, you’ll want to allow at least 5-6 hours total. And if you’re considering visiting both the South and North Rim within the same day, you’ll need to factor in the nearly 2-hour drive to get from the South to the North Rim as there is no bridge spanning the canyon. It’s also important to note that the North Rim Road is closed during the Winter so seeing both in one day is best accomplished during the Summer months when the days are longer.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison South Rim vs North Rim

With its fully-paved scenic road, overlooks and Visitor’s Center, the South Rim is most certainly the more visited side of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It also has a larger campground, which is reservable online, whereas the North Rim campground is much smaller, and the sites are only available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you’re visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison for the first time, we highly recommend starting with the South Rim, especially if you’re on a time crunch or don’t enjoy driving on unpaved roads. If you have more time to invest, the North Rim is most definitely worth the trip. And if you’re flexible and can visit during non-peak days over the Summer, or better yet late Spring or early Fall, the North Rim campground is a beautiful place that offers peace and solitude at the end of a long travel day.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Hiking

There are several great nature trails within Black Canyon of the Gunnison that are perfect if you’re looking for an easy or moderate hike for your visit.

Best Hiking Trails at the South Rim

Painted Wall View Trail - 0.2 miles roundtrip | 6 feet elevation gain

Rim Rock Nature Trail - 1.5 miles roundtrip | 187 feet elevation gain

Oak Flat Loop Trail - 1.3 miles roundtrip | 311 feet elevation gain

Cedar Point Nature Trail - 0.4 miles roundtrip | 52 feet elevation gain

Warner Point Nature Trail - 1.5 miles roundtrip | 406 feet elevation gain

Gunnison Route Trail - 1.8 miles roundtrip | 1,781 feet elevation gain - PERMIT REQUIRED

Best Hiking Trails at the North Rim

Chasm View Nature Trail - 0.6 miles roundtrip - 108 feet elevation gain

Exclamation Point - 2.9 miles roundtrip - 364 feet elevation gain

Inner Canyon Hike Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The ultimate hiking experience in Black Canyon of the Gunnison is to tackle an Inner Canyon hike and see the bottom of this beautiful wilderness area. There are three routes to access the Inner Canyon from the South Rim and three routes from the North Rim. The park website stresses that these routes are just that, routes versus trails, and are often difficult to follow. Bringing a handheld hiking GPS navigator would be smart to have to avoid getting lost.

The Gunnison Route is by far the easiest and most traveled choice for first-timers. Still, this hike is not for the faint of heart, and you’ll need a wilderness permit to attempt it. These permits are free and must be obtained the day of your hike from either the South Rim Visitor Center or the North Rim Ranger Station. There is also a self-registration kiosk outside both facilities, should they be closed at the time of your arrival.

There are a limited number of permits issued daily, so it’s important to arrive early. In the Summer months, hikers can obtain permits for South Rim routes 1.5 hours before closing the day before their trip.

South Rim Inner Canyon Routes

Gunnison Route - 1.8 miles roundtrip | 1,781 feet elevation drop and return gain

Tomichi Route - 1-mile roundtrip | 1,960 feet elevation drop and return gain - considered steepest South Rim route

Warner Route - 2.75 miles roundtrip | 2,722 feet elevation drop and return gain - overnight travel highly recommended

North Rim Inner Canyon Routes

S.O.B. Draw - 2.1 miles roundtrip - 1,866 feet elevation drop and return gain

Long Draw - 1.7 miles roundtrip - 1,604 feet levation drop and return gain - lots of scrambling over boulders and scree

Slide Draw - 1.2 miles roundtrip - 1,053 elevation drop and return gain - considered extremely strenuous and technical

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Camping

There are three campgrounds within Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one at each the South and North Rim and another at the East Portal.

At the South Rim campground, visitors will find developed campground amenities such as picnic tables, fire pits and vault toilets. Our spot (seen above) was somewhat private with ample spacing between us and the adjacent campers. We found the ground a bit rocky with limited options for tent stakes. All campsites at the South Rim are reservable online and in advance.

On the North Rim, campers will enjoy far more solitude and beautiful surroundings, including amazing views of the Painted Wall nearby and campsites nestled among Juniper trees. The only caveat? There are only five campsites, and none of them are reservable online or in advance. This is important to note for travelers visiting the North Rim during peak Summer months as there are no other campgrounds near the North Rim.

Even in the summer months, prepare for sub-freezing temperatures at night. On a recent overnight there, early June temps bottomed out at 28 degrees. You’ll be way happier zipped up in a 15 to 30-degree sleeping bag, trust us on this one. And if you’re looking to snuggle up with your partner, we love our double sleeping bag from Big Agnes. And if you’re looking for a lightweight 2-person tent, we’re also happy with our North Face Stormbreak II.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Winter

First and foremost, it’s important to note that there are several road closures within Black Canyon of the Gunnison during the Winter. The South Rim Road is closed to vehicles beyond the Visitor’s Center and Gunnison Point, and the entire North Rim and East Portal Roads are closed.

All that being said, there are some great winter activities you can get into here at this amazing Colorado National Park. For starters, South Rim Road is groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing just past the Visitor’s Center, allowing for a 6-mile trek with access to all the overlook points. Snowshoeing is available all along the South Rim with beautiful views of the snowy Black Canyon, making for a truly unique and memorable experience.

Unique Things to do Near Black Canyon of the Gunnison

In case you’re wondering what else there is to do near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, we can assure you that you’ll have some unique destinations to choose from to add to your experience.

For those visiting the South Rim, you’ll be about 20 minutes from nearby Montrose, Colorado, home to Museum of the Mountain West (seen above), featuring a sprawling collection of western memorabilia and local history.

how many national parks are in Colorado?

There are four national parks in Colorado - Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Each is spread apart by several hours’ worth of driving, and all of them offer distinctly unique experiences. If you’re trying to do all of Colorado’s national parks in one road trip, I recommend over a week to really do them justice.

As you can see on the map included below, it takes nearly 18 hours of driving just to get to all of them from Denver. It’s actually a really great loop to do if you have the time and aren’t rushed to complete it.

Image Credits:

From top: Galyna Andrushko - stock.adobe.com; Painted Wall - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Cedar Point View - Laurens Hoddenbagh/Laurens - stock.adobe.com; Juniper Tree - Ruslan Kalnitsky/RuslanKphoto - stock.adobe.com; South Rim Overlook - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; South Rim View of Gunnison River - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; South Rim Overlook - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Gunnison River from Inner Canyon - Ron - stock.adobe.com; South Rim Campground - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Winter at Black Canyon - Dusty Demerson/cbdusty - stock.adobe.com; Museum of the Mountain West - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Box Canon - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Curecanti National Recreation Area - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Museum of the Mountain West - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Mermaid Cottage - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; for Pinterest Pin image credits, please click on the image.