Planning a trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Information
For information on both the national park and the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area, contact Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230 (tel. 970/641-2337; www.nps.gov/blca). A bookstore at the South Rim Visitor Center, operated by the Western National Parks Association, offers a variety of publications, including the very useful South Rim Driving Tour Guide, published by the association.
For information on other area attractions, lodging, and dining, contact the Montrose Association of Commerce and Tourism, 1519 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (tel. 800/873-0244; www.visitmontrose.net), or stop at the Montrose Visitor Center, operated by the chamber of commerce, at the same address. Information on federal lands in the area, including those under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, is available at the Public Lands Center, 2505 S. Townsend Ave. (tel. 970/240-5300), open weekdays year-round.
Visitor Centers
The park's South Rim Visitor Center is open daily in summer and most days the rest of the year, except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Summer hours are 8am to 6pm, and hours the rest of the year are 8:30am to 4pm. The North Rim Ranger Station is open intermittently in summer but closed at other times; a self-registration board is available at the North Rim to pay entrance fees and obtain wilderness permits.
Fees & Permits
Admission for up to 7 days costs $15 per vehicle or $7 per person 17 or older on foot, bike, or motorcycle. Those under 17 are admitted free. Camping costs $12 per night for basic sites and $18 for sites with electric hookups. Required backcountry permits are free.
Special Regulations & Warnings
Visitors are warned to not throw anything from the rim into the canyon, since even a single small stone thrown or kicked from the rim could be fatal to people below. Visitors are also advised to supervise children very carefully -- many sections of the rim have no guardrails or fences.
Unlike at most national parks, leashed pets are permitted on three trails -- Rim Rock, Cedar Point, and Chasm View -- but are prohibited on others and are not permitted in the inner canyon or wilderness areas.
Those hiking down to the bottom of the Black Canyon are advised to watch out for poison ivy, which can grow to 5 feet tall along the Gunnison River.
Getting There
The park is on Colo. 347, 6 miles north of U.S. 50. To reach the south rim, travel east 8 miles from Montrose on U.S. 50 to the well-marked turnoff. To reach the north rim from Montrose, drive north 21 miles on U.S. 50 to Delta, east 31 miles on Colo. 92 to Crawford, then south on an 11-mile access road.
The Nearest Airport -- The Montrose Regional Airport, 2100 Airport Rd. (tel. 970/249-3203; www.montroseairport.com or www.montrosecounty.net), is off U.S. 50, 2 miles northwest of town. Airlines serving the town include American, Continental, Delta, and United. Car-rental agencies with outlets at the airport include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National/Alamo.
A bigger airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport, about 70 miles northwest in Grand Junction, Colorado (tel. 970/244-9100; www.gjairport.com). It has direct flights or connections from most major cities on Allegiant, American/American Eagle, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways. Car rentals are available at the airport from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.
Getting Around
The park's 7-mile (one-way) South Rim Road provides an excellent and fairly easy way to see much of the park. There are a dozen overlooks along the drive, and in most cases you'll be walking from 140 feet to about 700 feet to reach the view points from your vehicle.
Among the not-to-be-missed overlooks are Gunnison Point, behind the visitor center, which offers stunning views of the seemingly endless walls of dark rock, capped by a pinkish rock layer; and the Pulpit Rock Overlook, which provides a splendid view of the rock walls and about 1 1/2 miles of the Gunnison River, some 1,770 feet down. Farther along the drive is Chasm View, where you can see the incredible power of water, which here cut through more than 1,800 feet of solid rock. Near the end of the drive, stop at Sunset View, where there's a picnic area and a short (140-ft.) walk to a view point, which offers distant views beyond the canyon as well as of the scenic canyon (but not the river). And if your timing is right, you might be treated to a classic Western sunset, in all its red-and-orange glory.
Note: South Rim Road is closed to motor vehicles beyond the visitor center in winter.
The North Rim Road (generally closed in winter) accesses six overlooks, each providing stunning views into the canyon, over the almost vertical walls of the North Rim.
When to Go
Temperatures and weather conditions often vary greatly between the canyon rim and the canyon floor; it gets progressively hotter as you descend into the canyon. Average summer temperatures range from highs of 60° to 100°F (15°-38°C), with summer lows dropping to 30° to 50°F (-1° to 10°C). In winter, highs range from 20° to 40°F (-6° to 4°C), with lows from -10° to 20°F (-23° to -6°C). Brief afternoon thunderstorms are fairly common in the summer. The South Rim Road usually remains open to the visitor center through the winter, but snow often closes the North Rim Road between December and March.
Avoiding the Crowds
Although overcrowding has not been much of a problem, with fewer than 200,000 people visiting in most years, the park can be busy, especially in summer, with more than half the park visitors arriving between Memorial Day and Labor Day. December through February is the quietest time. Those seeking solitude should visit before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Although winter can be beautiful, park access is limited.
