Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Hiking Colorado's Deepest Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is the most dramatic canyon most people have never heard of. It drops 2,250 feet — deeper than the Grand Canyon is wide at many points — with walls so sheer and close together that certain sections receive only minutes of direct sunlight each day. The rock itself is 1.7 billion years old Precambrian gneiss and schist, dark and brooding. This is Colorado at its most raw.

Overview

• Location: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
• Park entrance fee: $20 per vehicle (valid 7 days)
• Gateway city: Montrose, CO (15 miles from South Rim entrance)
• Best time: May through October (South Rim road closes in winter; North Rim closes earlier)
• Crowds: One of the least-visited national parks in the lower 48 — most summer days feel uncrowded

Rim Trails (South Rim)

Most visitors experience the canyon from the South Rim, which has paved roads to a series of overlooks and several short trails. All rim trails have stunning views into the void.

• Rim Rock Nature Trail: 2.2 miles one-way connecting the campground to the Visitor Center, with canyon views the entire way. Easy, flat, excellent introductory hike.
• Oak Flat Loop: 2 miles, drops below the rim into Gambel oak forest, the most varied trail on the south rim. Moderate, 400 ft elevation change.
• Cedar Point Nature Trail: 0.7 miles to two dramatic overlooks above The Narrows (where the canyon walls are only 40 ft apart). Short and easy — do not miss it.
• Warner Point Nature Trail: 1.5 miles to the highest overlook on the south rim (8,800 ft), views of the San Juan Mountains. Moderate.

The Narrows Overlook

The Narrows is the most extreme section of the canyon — 1,725 ft deep with walls only 40 ft apart at river level. The Gunnison River churns through at high velocity, dropping 480 ft per mile in this section (for comparison, the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon drops 7 ft per mile). View it from Cedar Point or the Painted Wall overlook.

Inner Canyon Routes (Advanced)

This is not hiking — it is technical scrambling on unmarked, unmaintained routes descending 1,000–2,000 ft of steep terrain to reach the river. A free permit from the Visitor Center is required, and rangers strongly discourage inexperienced hikers from attempting any inner canyon route.

• Gunnison Route: Most popular inner route. Uses chains bolted to rock for the steepest sections. Class 3-4 scramble. Descend from S.O.B. Draw.
• Tomichi Route: Slightly less technical but longer. Class 3 scramble through talus and brush.
• Warner Route: The most challenging descent — Class 4-5 with rope-assist sections. Expert only.
• Critical warnings: No water sources on descents, no trails, flash floods possible, multiple SAR rescues annually. Never descend alone.

Rock Climbing

The canyon walls are world-class trad climbing routes — up to 2,000 feet of Precambrian gneiss. The Painted Wall (2,250 ft) is the tallest cliff face in Colorado. A climbing permit is required from the Visitor Center. Some walls are seasonally closed for nesting peregrine falcons (check current closures before planning).

Fishing

The East Portal area (accessed via a steep, hairpin road from the South Rim) reaches the Gunnison River at the canyon floor. Wild rainbow and brown trout fishing is excellent here. Fly fishing only; no bait. Colorado fishing license required. The river runs cold and fast — use a wading staff and proper wading gear.

North Rim

The North Rim is only 10 miles from the South Rim as the crow flies, but requires a 3-hour drive via Hotchkiss on gravel roads. It rewards the effort with a more primitive experience: no crowds, a small campground with 13 sites, and views that are arguably more dramatic. The Chasm View Nature Trail (0.3 miles) is among the most vertiginous short walks in any national park.

Camping

• South Rim Campground: 88 sites, two loops, hookups available in one loop. Reserve at recreation.gov in summer. Beautiful canyon-edge location.
• North Rim Campground: 13 sites, no hookups, first-come first-served. Vault toilets only. Very peaceful.
• East Portal Campground: 15 sites along the river, reservation required, no RVs (steep access road). Excellent for fishing trips.

What to Bring

• Water: No water on rim trails; fill at the Visitor Center or campground
• Layers: The rim sits above 8,000 ft — evenings are cold even in summer
• Sun protection: Minimal shade on rim trails
• Binoculars: Peregrine falcons, California condors, and osprey nest in the walls

Pair this with a visit to the nearby Colorado River kayaking or continue south to the San Juan Mountains. Use the Trip Finder to build a custom Colorado itinerary.