This Colorado park is home to one of the steepest canyons in the world. In fact, it’s so steep and narrow that parts of the canyon receive as little as 33 minutes of sunlight per day. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is an underrated national park that has incredible viewpoints, great trails and peaceful camping opportunities. It’s a place where you can stand among some of the oldest rocks in North America, and take in some truly epic views.
Black Canyon is a must-visit place for anyone who loves geology. The canyon was created from the Gunnison River eroding away volcanic rock, and there is a large variety of rock types. You can see igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks as you admire the canyon walls. It’s one of the best places in the world to see precambrian “basement rocks,” which are almost two billion years old and are typically buried deep beneath the surface.
Indigenous people have lived in this region for thousands of years, and the Ute peoples were the primary historical residents. While they lived in the area, many of them avoided the canyon and the rim due to superstition.
The park was established as a national monument in 1933, and became a national park in 1999. It protects some of the most unique geologic features in the United States. It’s the least visited of the four Colorado national parks, but I think it’s worth a visit. This guide shares all of the best things to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It’s based on my experience visiting Black Canyon a couple times, but most recently in May 2025.
Things to Know Before Visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Similar to the Grand Canyon, there is a North Rim and a South Rim at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. To drive between them, it takes almost 2 hours. The South Rim is more developed, while the North Rim has fewer visitors and less services. So far, I’ve only been to the South Rim, so I’ll be focusing more on that in this guide.
- It costs $30 per vehicle to visit this park. If you’ll be visiting multiple national parks over the course of a year, it probably makes sense to purchase an America the Beautiful Pass.
- I love listening to Guide Along audio tours whenever they’re available, and have enjoyed dozens of their tours! They have a tour of Black Canyon, and it’s a great way to learn about the park while you’re driving.
- Certain times of day, like early in the morning, can cause there to be harsh shadows on the canyon walls. After two visits, I much preferred the mid-day lighting. Sunrise and sunset also would be beautiful times to visit.
- Exploration of the inner canyon requires a permit, and some of the inner canyon routes were damaged in the 2025 South Rim Fire. Read about inner canyon access on the national park website and/or talk to a ranger before considering this strenuous adventure.
- As with any national park, make sure to leave no trace. That includes packing out all of your trash, never feeding wildlife and respecting those around you.
When to Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The rim roads on both sides of Black Canyon close for the winter. They tend to close in mid-November, or after the first major snowfall. The South Rim usually reopens sometime in April, while the North Rim usually reopens in May. However, this can really vary based on the year.
Therefore, the best time to visit this park is between May and October. There isn’t a lot of shade, so in order to avoid a hot day, I would recommend May, September or October as the very best times. Personally, I’ve been in May and October, and had good weather both times.
If you do visit during the winter, you can visit the South Rim Visitor Center and enjoy snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in a few different areas.
How to Get To Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
If you’re flying in, the closest airport to the park is the Montrose Regional Airport. Options vary depending on the time of year, but they typically have a few flights a day from Denver, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago or Los Angeles.
The next closest airport is in Grand Junction, which is a bit larger and has flights to Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orange County and Phoenix.
Other options include Durango (3 hours away) or Denver (5.5 hours away). While Denver is a long drive, there are so many other places that you could visit on the way, and make this trip into a Colorado road trip. A few of my favorite places to consider include Buena Vista, Glenwood Springs or Breckinridge.
The Best Things To Do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Places To Go on the Black Canyon South Rim
The Black Canyon South Rim is more popular than the North Rim, as it has more accessible viewpoints, it’s more developed, and is a bit closer to nearby cities.
Tomichi Point
Tomichi Point is the first overlook on the South Rim Road. It’s the perfect spot to gaze into the canyon for the first time!
Gunnison Point and the South Rim Visitor Center
As with any national park, you’ll probably want to stop by the visitor center to learn more about the park or buy a souvenir. From the visitor center, where is a short walk out to Gunnison Point, which offers another great view.
Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock involves walking on a short, unpaved trail. You can enjoy views of the canyon in multiple directions here, which provides a different perspective than the surrounding overlooks. At this spot, the North Rim wall is at a 93% slope, while the south slope is only at 63% slope.
Cross Fissures View, Rock Point and Devils Lookout
These three viewpoints are right next to each other.
To reach the Cross Fissures View, it’s a short walk on an unpaved trail. It’s about 0.3 miles round trip and you’ll get to admire tall, jagged rocks. It’s harder to see the canyon here, but a cool spot for seeing the rock formations.
To reach Rock Point, it’s a bit of a shorter walk. This is also a place where you can look across the canyon and see the road on the North Rim.
Devils Lookout requires a slightly longer trail, at a half mile round trip. It’s a good spot to admire the wild geology of the canyon.
Chasm View
Chasm View was one of my favorite stops. You’ll be able to look down into the bottom of the canyon in multiple directions. It’s an amazing place to get a sense for how deep the canyon is.
Painted Wall
The Painted Wall View is my very favorite spot on the Black Canyon South Rim! If you’re short on time, don’t skip this one. The Painted Wall is the tallest cliff in Colorado at 2,250 feet tall. As the name suggests, it looks like there are painted stripes along the wall, but its streaks of igneous rocks. The lighter colored rocks were once magma deep below the surface, and seeped up in between the cracks. There are the rare precambrian rocks that I mentioned in the intro.
Cedar Point
Cedar Point has another short trail, and it’s unique in that you’ll have a good chance to admire the local flowers. When I visited in the spring, colorful wildflowers lined the trail. And of course, the end of the trail reaches a great view of the canyon and the Gunnison River. You can also see the Painted Wall from here.
Dragon Point
Dragon Point is another short walk that is near Cedar Point. It provides another great view of the canyon and the river.
Sunset View
Sunset View is a paved overlook that provides a lovely vista looking west. It’s a great spot to admire the sun setting over the canyon.
High Point and Warner Point
The High Point is at the end of the South Canyon Rim Road. From here, you can hike the Warner Point Nature Trail, which is 1.6 miles round trip. The trail provides multiple nice views of the canyon, and there are shady benches available along the way. You’ll be able to see the San Juan Mountains from here too.
Places To Go on the Black Canyon North Rim
The Black Canyon North Rim is less developed than the South Rim, but still offers great views. I’ve heard it’s better for hiking, as there are a couple longer trails available along the rim. I haven’t personally been to the North Rim, but will update this guide when I make it there!
Places to go on the North Rim:
- North Vista Trail to Exclamation Point (2.9 miles)
- Chasm View Nature Trail (0.9 miles)
- Narrows View
- Balanced Rock View
- Big Island View
- Island Peaks View
- Kneeling Camel View
Drive Down to East Portal
Drive to the bottom of the canyon and enjoy a view right next to the river at East Portal. The river access is actually in Curecanti National Recreation Area, not the national park, but you can only access this area by driving through the national park.
The road to get down here is paved, but very steep and windy. It gets up to 16% grade and vehicles over 22 feet are prohibited. Personally, I accidentally drove down this road during my first visit to Black Canyon, and it was pretty intense.
Pro Tip: Put your car in low gear to avoid burning out your brakes.
At the bottom, there’s a picnic area, a campground and an interpretive trail where you can learn about the dam and the Gunnison Tunnel.
Hike Down Into the Canyon
For those who are adventurous and experienced hikers, you have an opportunity to embark on an intense journey hiking down to the bottom of the canyon (and back up).
There are a few different routes available from both the north and south rim, and all of them require a permit. The most popular route is the Gunnison Route from the South Rim. Only 15 permits are given out per day, and the journey involves a series of chains. There is no set route, and it’s a technical class 3 scramble. I’d love to do this someday!
If you’re interested in the Gunnison Route or any other inner canyon route, make sure to do your research and obtain the proper permit.
Where to Stay near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Camping in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
There are three different campgrounds in the park, one on the South Rim, one on the North Rim, and one at East Portal. You’ll need to make a reservation ahead of time on recreation.gov for the South Rim Campground, but the other two sites are first-come first-serve. However, an online payment is required.
Hotels near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The closest town to Black Canyon is Montrose. They have several hotel options here, including historic options like The Rathbone Hotel & Parlor Bar, or chain hotels like a Holiday Inn Express or a Best Western.
Personally, I’ve stopped at Black Canyon of the Gunnison on two different Colorado road trips that included other areas of Western Colorado, such as Ouray, Durango and Grand Junction. Ouray is only a little over an hour from Black Canyon, and is an amazing town to add to your Colorado bucket list.
Other Places to go in Western Colorado
- Ouray, which has the nickname “The Switzerland of America”
- Durango, where you can ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- The Million Dollar Highway, which is between Ouray and Durango
- Mesa Verde National Park, home to the largest cliff dwellings in North America
- Grand Junction, where you should visit Colorado National Monument
- Glenwood Springs, where you should visit Iron Mountain Hot Springs
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you plan an amazing trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This is an underrated park that has some truly fantastic views. Whether you’re heading out on a Colorado road trip, or planning to visit all of the national parks, Black Canyon is worthy of a stop.
For more Colorado travel guides, check out my other blog posts:
- The Best Things To Do in Great Sand Dunes National Park
- How to Spend 2 Days in Rocky Mountain National Park
- A Guide to Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park in the Spring
- How to Spend 2 Days in Mesa Verde National Park
- How to Spend a Weekend in Denver, CO
- The Best Things To Do in Boulder, CO
- How to Spend One Day in Colorado Springs
- The Best Things To Do in Silverthorne, CO
- The Best Hikes in Fort Collins, CO
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