Of the 4 parks in Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park is the least visited and probably the most distant. Named for the minimal daylight the canyon receives through the shorter months of the yr, it’s a sight to behold when the solar graces its mountains and the shores of the Gunnison River.
Why Go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park in an RV?
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park beckons to RVers and campers. The 300,000-plus acre park is small in comparison with others however makes up for it in grandeur and intimacy. You gained’t be overwhelmed by crowds, and the probabilities of discovering a spot to park your RV or camper on the campsites is increased, making it simpler to drag off a last-minute journey in the summertime with out a lot planning.
Black Canyon also can simply work right into a multi-day itinerary that features all 4 Colorado parks, looping in Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, Mesa Verde, and Nice Sand Dunes.
Beware that RVs as much as 35 ft can entry the South Rim Campground, however there are restrictions on the opposite park roads that solely enable entry to automobiles as much as 22 ft.
When to Go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is open 24/7, one year a yr, however the North Rim Highway is closed within the winter, beginning round mid-November. The South Rim Highway is open year-round, however sections are closed to motor automobiles within the winter. Peak season usually runs from April to September, however it hardly ever will get busy sufficient that you would be able to’t discover a place to park.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park within the Spring
Spring is a good time for climbing at Black Canyon. The towering partitions provide nice climbing alternatives, and being contained in the canyon means much less publicity to the beating western Colorado solar.
That is additionally an ideal season for fowl watchers to identify peregrine falcons nesting and feeding their chicks. You may stand at an simply accessible overlook and watch the quickest fowl on the earth zip round, catch prey, and make raucous calls.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park within the Summer time
In the summertime, Black Canyon may be very scorching. Convey sufficient water in your social gathering, as there aren’t many alternatives to refill. The Gunnison River operating by way of the canyon makes for excellent rafting experiences and an opportunity to chill off.
Getting right down to the water is a hike, and the river can slender to as small as 40 ft throughout in some spots. Summer time is the most effective time to go down into the canyon, however due to how slender the canyon is, some spots obtain as little as 33 minutes of daylight through the day.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Park within the Fall
Within the fall, the colours change, and the temperatures drop. The primary snowfall is normally round mid-November, so that you get an extended, temperate autumn on the Black Canyon. The summer time crowds are gone, and you may benefit from the park. For those who thought it wasn’t crowded through the summer time, it’s virtually downright desolate within the fall.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Park within the Winter
The North Rim Highway closes within the winter. The south rim is just open to automobiles as much as a sure half. Nevertheless, when you park, you have got six miles (one-way) of snowshoeing or cross-country snowboarding entry alongside South Rim Highway.
The place to Keep
There are two most important developed campgrounds conveniently positioned on both rim to offer basecamps for exploring your most popular park sections.
The South Rim Campground is open all yr, however Loops A and C shut through the winter. Loop B affords 20 and 30-amp electrical hookups. The campground affords potable water and pit bogs in the summertime, however no water is on the market within the winter. Generator use is prohibited on this campground.
The North Rim Campground is small and seasonal, with solely 13 first-come, first-served websites, and no electrical hookups or dump stations. Pit bogs and potable water can be found in the summertime solely. You may carry a generator; the utmost RV size is 22 ft.
A 3rd possibility, the East Portal Campground, lies on the backside of the excessive canyon partitions. The street in solely permits RVs below 22 ft in size. There are 15 whole websites, 10 of which solely enable tent tenting. The campground shuts down within the winter when East Portal Highway closes.
Hikers and kayakers are additionally permitted to camp in a single day within the Internal Canyon Wilderness Space. You will need to hearken to a Ranger Orientation and receive a Wilderness Use Allow to take action, which is free however limits the variety of guests within the space day by day.
Staying Exterior the Park
For those who can’t discover a place to remain within the park, try these close by choices.
- Cedar Creek RV Park: Positioned in Montrose, CO, lower than 20 minutes from the park.
- Uncompahgre River Grownup RV Park: Positioned in Olathe, CO, about 35 minutes from the park.
- Silver Summit RV Park: Positioned in Silverton, CO, about 1.75 hours from the park.
- Palisade BaseCamp RV Resort: Positioned in Palisade, CO, about 1.5 hours from the park.
- Riverbend RV Park and Cabins: Positioned in Montrose, CO, lower than half-hour from the park.
Put money into a Good Sam Membership and save 10% on nightly stays at Good Sam Campgrounds.
Ideas in your Tenting Keep
Whether or not staying in a park campground or close by, use the following pointers to enhance your go to.
- Reservations for South Rim Campground could be made by visiting Recreation.gov.
- There aren’t any customer facilities to seize facilities, so ensure your RV fridge is stocked with snacks and drinks.
- The utmost RV size within the park’s campgrounds is 35 ft.
- Canines should stay inside RVs from June 1st to August tenth to guard the park’s deer inhabitants (and your canines from mom deer nursing fawns).
- Black bears are recognized to go to campgrounds looking for meals. Make the most of the bear-proof meals storage lockers or retailer meals in a locked automobile with the home windows up (if lockers are unavailable).
- Keep away from leaving scented hygiene merchandise in your tenting tent or pop-up camper in a single day.
- Clear your camp desk instantly after consuming, and by no means depart meals unattended.
The way to Get Round Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park
Montrose, CO, is the final city cease earlier than accessing the South Rim. From Montrose, take US Freeway 50 east earlier than turning onto CO 347 north and following indicators into the park. Accessing the North Rim is a little more sophisticated, so we advocate heading to the South Rim customer middle first for detailed instructions and security suggestions from park rangers.
The 2 most important thoroughfares contained in the park are the South Rim and North Rim Roads. The South Rim Highway is nicely maintained and paved, however the North Rim Highway is gravel and rougher. Solely RVs 22 ft or shorter are allowed on these roads. The pace restrict is sluggish, so going from the North Rim to the South Rim takes a number of hours.
For those who plan on rafting within the river, you possibly can entry the water through the East Portal Highway, which can also be restricted to automobiles 22 ft or shorter. It’s a meandering scenic drive with a steep descent and hairpin turns that carry you to the water’s edge.
Locations to Go
If coming into the park through the South Rim Highway, cease on the ranger station for fast historical past and a few nice, brief walks to superb overlooks. From there, try these most important park points of interest throughout your go to.
The North and South Rims
Like Grand Canyon Nationwide Park, the South Rim is the extra visited facet of the park, whereas the North Rim affords a quieter, primitive park expertise. If it’s your first go to, begin on the South Rim Customer Heart, which affords a bookstore and loads of accessible RV parking.
The North Rim is roughly 11 miles southwest of Crawford, CO, and there’s a ranger station open intermittently all through the summer time. The ultimate seven miles of the park entry street and all the North Rim Highway are unpaved gravel however accessible to most automobiles in the summertime.
Painted Wall
The tallest vertical wall in Colorado and the third-tallest within the decrease 48 states at 2,250 ft excessive, Painted Wall is among the park’s hottest climbing areas. Fortunately, you don’t should don a harness and climbing footwear to get pleasure from its splendor. You may entry this chasm view through South Rim Highway.
East Portal
You may get to the East Portal from the South Rim, though it technically sits contained in the neighboring Curecanti Nationwide Recreation Space. Named for a city that when developed on the backside of the canyon, it’s an fascinating website to check park historical past and luxuriate in water-based recreation.
Issues To Do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park
There’s loads to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Simply know that some actions require extra technical tools than others, and also you’ll should carry your individual when visiting this distant park.
Climbing
Many of the simpler mountain climbing trails within the park are alongside the North and South Rims. For knowledgeable hikers and backpackers, there are routes to discover the inside canyon. Listed here are a number of to take a look at throughout your go to:
- Rim Rock Nature Path: A reasonably flat 2-mile path with glorious views right down to the Gunnison River.
- The Gunnison Route: The really useful route on the South Rim if it’s your first time exploring the inside canyon. It’s a difficult hike with a 1,800-foot elevation drop.
- Uplands Path: A straightforward one-mile stroll with wildlife watching and views of the West Elk Mountains.
- Warner Level Nature Path: A average, 1.5-mile spherical journey by way of a forest of mountain mahogany, juniper, serviceberry, and pinyon pine. Decide up your path map on the Excessive Level Overlook.
Climbing
For professional rock climbers, Black Canyon is a paradise – and never solely as a result of it’s house to one of many tallest vertical partitions in North America. Most climbers flock to the North and South Chasm Partitions, however there are many locations for mountaineering in less-frequented components of the park.
Fishing
For those who make it right down to East Portal, carry your fishing gear. The part of the Gunnison River that runs by way of the park is designated as Gold Medal Water & Wild Trout Water, which means it’s a superb place to catch massive trout – with a fishing license, in fact.
Astronomy Festivals
The park hosts an annual astronomy pageant within the fall so that you can expertise why defending this Darkish Sky Sanctuary is so vital. Occasions happen through the day and evening, with rangers, volunteers, and members of the Black Canyon Astronomical Society (BCAS) there to reply all of your astronomical questions.
Winter Actions
The most well-liked winter actions within the park are snowshoeing and cross-country snowboarding. The South Rim Ski and Snowshoe Path is the most effective place for inexperienced persons to get used to snowshoes. Rangers groom South Rim Drive past Gunnison Level for cross-country snowboarding. Snowshoes and skis aren’t obtainable within the park, be could be bought or rented in close by Montrose.
What to Convey and The way to Put together
There are only a few facilities obtainable within the park. Carry no matter you want for so long as you intend on staying.
Put this stuff in your packing record for Black Canyon:
Transient Historical past of Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is among the newer fees for the Nationwide Park Service. After acquiring its standing in 1999, it preserves the narrowest and deepest part of the Gunnison Gorge.
The Black Canyon acquired its title from how little daylight penetrates between the edges, however in 2015, it earned designation as a Darkish Sky Park by the Worldwide Darkish-Sky Affiliation. Convey your digital camera for placing photographs of constellations and the milky means as soon as the solar goes down.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed the North Rim Highway within the Nineteen Thirties, which is now listed on the US Register of Historic Locations. For those who like canyons, however don’t need to cope with the summer time crowds of the Grand Canyon, then Black Canyon of the Gunnison needs to be in your record!
Plan your subsequent journey to the nationwide parks in an RV. Lease an RV, trade-in your RV, or purchase a brand new or used RV and begin touring for lower than $5 a day.
Have you ever been to Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nationwide Park? Share your journey suggestions within the feedback under!
Laryssa Rote is an out of doors content material author at present dwelling in Montana. With a particular curiosity in connecting folks with the outside, her focus lays in inclusivity in out of doors recreation, in addition to ensuring everybody is aware of the most effective methods to get low cost, good gear. Her motto: “The extra individuals who expertise nature, the extra individuals who love nature, the extra individuals who need to defend nature.” On her days off, you could find her biking, mountain climbing, shot gunning Lord of the Rings, or rising potatoes.