Top Things to do in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Top 6 Things to do Good for Couples in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Discover the best top things to do in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, United States including Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, South Rim Road, North Rim, Warner Point, Black Canyon Visitor Center, East Portal Road.
1. Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,010 reviews
Canyon for which this national park was named.
Reviewed By Toyota1994 - Chicago, United States
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a stunning National Park worth the extra effort to get there. The about 5 mile uphill drive on the Park entrance road starting at elevation 6,400 ft to the Black Canyon (elevation 8,000 ft) is beautiful. The Visitor Center is small, but about right for the annual visitation of about 300,000. I did not find it crowded during my recent visit in August. Only, I wish the restroom facilities were fully developed; currently only pit toilets are available. The museum at the visitor center has nice exhibits. No food is available at the Visitor Center or anywhere else in the park. The park staff is very helpful and the ranger programs are interesting. The Visitor Center building has a wide porch on three sides, which serves as a nice prep or rest area for hikers. Hikes of varying length start from the Visitor Center. One short trail not to miss is the Gunnison Point Trail, the end point of which opens up to a grand view of the Black Canyon. The South Rim Road has about a dozen overlooks of the Canyon. The overlooks are only a few hundred yards from each parking lot. Signs indicate how far they are, but none are farther than a half mile away. Each overlook provides different views of the canyon and or the Gunnison River. The South Rim visit could be completed in about a half day if no long hiking is included. The North Rim is about a 2-hr drive from the south rim, with the last 5 miles are so on dirt road which is pretty smooth. The views at the north rim are grander. The North rim road has six overlooks, and they are much closer to the parking lots. Visiting all the overlooks at the North Rim can be completed in 2 hours. The one short walk not to miss at the North Rim is the Charm View Trail. There are no hiking paths to the river from the rims, but there are so called ‘routes’ which require strenuous scrambling, climbing on rocky surface. These are not maintained trails. Going on these expeditions require Wilderness Permits even for day visits. In summary, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a beautiful stunning place to visit.
2. South Rim Road
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 204 reviews
7-mile Scenic Drive Through The Park.
Reviewed By billandgeorgeanna - Lake Havasu City, United States
Great drive and especially the views along with the fall colors up in the hills. We just couldn't get over the beauty of this place all we could say was WOW.
3. North Rim
4. Warner Point
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 36 reviews
Reviewed By OSU_Fan1967 - Dublin, United States
Nice, easy hike at the end of South Rim road that provides you an opportunity to get out of the car, stretch your legs a bit and hike to a beautiful point/overlook. The 14 stop nature guide and corresponding booklet are a nice touch and very worthwhile.
5. Black Canyon Visitor Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 191 reviews
Excellent information in a wonderful log building.
Reviewed By J9300DBsuel
This visitor center had good clean bathrooms (always a plus), helpful staff especially for first time visitors like us, and a variety of things you could purchase. A good start for your visit.
6. East Portal Road
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By houstonnative47 - Missouri City, United States
We did not hesitate to drive the rent car down this road to the bottom of the canyon. It is a steep grade but it's not that bad. When you arrive at the bottom, you see the Gunnison River and a picnic area. We drove along the river for quite ways looking for the perfect place to stop for lunch. The river had some rapids here and there and just a different view of the canyon walls above.
