Black Canyon of the Gunnison

While a lot of national parks get over 3 million visits a year, Black Canyon of the Gunnison usually gets around 300,000. An often overlooked park, it has very different and beautiful scenery. The canyon is the longest and deepest canyon in the west . At one point, the two sides are only about 45 feet apart. It is very narrow but deep and impressive. We hiked the Small Oak Trail which went just below the edge of the canyon. Going any lower required a permit and climbing skills. A lot of young'uns will hike to the bottom and climb back up. The trail is lined with oak trees, but given the small amount of water and sun, they grow slowly. A small tree could be over 80 years old. Other than chippies, a snake, and a lot of birds, we didn't see any other wildlife. After the hike we drove the rim and stopped at some of the look out points. There was a little rain in the air. We were staying in the park campground and had a very nice, private site. We went back to the campground, built a fire, and had Jeff's favorite camping meal, mashed potatoes and Dinty Moore Stew . Once the clouds cleared, the sky was filled with stars once again. During the night we heard a pack of some kind of animals - maybe wolves or coyotes, not sure - getting a prey.Read more