Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

we made the short drive from Cortez to Montrose, Colorado in 157 miles. After setting up the camper at the cute campground we headed to Black Canyon of the Gunnison national park (#26 of our US national parks). There are several activities in this park that we wouldn’t have time for, such as kayaking the river and hiking down into the canyon. But we were there to see the multiple overlooks at different parts along the south rim and learn about the area. This steep canyon got its name from the shadow filled walls due to how narrow the canyon is. Some parts of the canyon only get 33 minutes of sunlight a day and at its narrowest is 40 ft at the river and 1100 ft at the rim. Compared to the Grand Canyon which averages 10 miles from rim to rim, it’s a drastic difference. You can also drive the east portal road down to the Gunnison River, a steep but paved road with several sharp switchbacks. Although at times the drop was 16% it felt much easier than several of the rough roads we traversed the last few weeks. Although we truly appreciated the dramatic geology of the park, we did not feel we needed more than a few hours to get what we wanted out of it. The rest of the day was spent with the pups relaxing at the camper.Read more