Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Slowly sculpted by water slicing through sheer, crystalline rock walls, Colorado's Black Canyon of the Gunnison offers some of the state's—and world's—most dramatic landscapes. In October of 1999, the government crowned the prehistorically formed canyons near Montrose with national park status. Once you lay eyes on it, you'll know why.

The canyon's rim rests at 8,000 feet, and you can view awe-inspiring 2,000-foot drops into the Gunnison River right from the car or via short walks to scenic overlooks. To begin your two-day introductory tour of the park, head to the more developed south rim. And follow our lead:

Day One

From Montrose, follow Colorado 347 about 15 miles to the South Rim Visitors Center at Gunnison Point, where you can grab all the material you'll need on park history, weather updates, route-finding and camping, plus new interactive exhibits on area flora and fauna. Reserve your campsite (first come, first served) at the office so you'll have a spot when you're done for the day.

Hiking the canyon is a wonderful way to take it all in, and the south rim offers no shortage of walks. Most of them are easy to moderate in difficulty, so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the sites. From the visitors center you can catch Rim Rock, a flat, sunny, one-mile jaunt through sagebrush that overlooks the Gunnison River to the South Rim Campground. Oak Flat Loop, also accessible from the visitors center, is a more strenuous two-mile hike that takes you to below-rim aspen forests and offers remarkable views downstream on the return.

These two trails should give you a great introduction to park. After you finish your hikes, head back to camp and get some sleep. It's a full day tomorrow.

Day Two

Hop in the car and follow the South Rim Road, past the visitors center and into the heart of the park. Spend a leisurely day along the main road and have a picnic lunch. There are two additional hiking trails and about a dozen overlooks along the route, starting with Pulpit Rock on the right. Cedar Point Nature Trail is an easy, 2/3-mile walk featuring signposts on area plants. From this vantage point you can also see Colorado's tallest cliff, the 2,250-foot Painted Wall. At the end of the South Rim Road is 1.5-mile Warner Point Nature Trail, a moderate trail offering sweeping views both north (West Elk Mountains and Gunnison River) and south (San Juan Mountains, Uncompahgre Valley and Bostwick Park).

Details:
Entrance fee: $8 (for up to 7 days); $15 annual permit; National Parks Pass or Golden Age Passport accepted.
Camping: $10/site per day; $15 on South Rim Loop B (electrical hookups)
More information: call 970-641-2337 or visit www.nps.gov/blca.