Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 38° 33.292 W 107° 41.207
13S E 265876 N 4270804
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is considered the Grand Canyon of Colorado, just six miles east of Montrose.
Waymark Code: WM85KR
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 02/02/2010
Views: 14
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a 48 mile long, narrow canyon.The entire canyon was proclaimed a national monument in 1933, and in 1999, 14 miles of the canyon were designated a National Park.
The name "Black Canyon" is due to it's extremely sheer, deep cliffs and narrows chasms; so narrow that little light can penetrate it.
Plan to spend a day at the park. There are two routes you can take...
South Rim Trail
This 7-mile, winding, cliff hugging trail takes you along the top rim of the canyon, and offers spectucular view points. Many of the stops along the way have a short trail to the vantage or look out point.
The rim road takes you all the way to High Point, and then turns you back around.
*** or ***
East Portal Road
The road down into the canyon will have you on a 16% grade...as well as sharp switchbacks. For good reason, this road is closed in winter.
But, take the road down to the river below, and look up!!!
There is also camping available in the park, so you can hike the many trails that lead down to the Colorado River.
After a day at the Gunnison National Park, Montrose also offers the Ute Indian Museum and Ouray Memorial Park. On the land that was once the home of Ute Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta, this marvelous museum is a look at the native American Ute Indian's culture. This unique museum offers lassrooms, media centers and exhibits; Chipeta's crypt; the Chief Ouray Memorial Park; and native plants from which the Ute people used in all aspects of life.
Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada Before You Die
Page Location in Source Book: 704
Type of Waymark: National Park, Site
Location of Coordinates: Entrance to the National Park
Cost of Admission (Parks, Museums, etc.): 15.00 (listed in local currency)
List Available Hours, Dates, Season:
April through mid-November
Fall, Winter, Spring - 8:30 - 4:00
Summer - 8:00 - 6:00
Official Tourism Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Because of the vastness of many of the "non-localized" sites (Gobi Desert, Great Wall of China), waymark owners are encouraged to allow visits that reflect different perspectives and experiences.
Localized waymark sites (Structures, Landmarks, Businesses) should reflect standard waymarking visit criteria (Logs & photos).