Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States national park in western Colorado. It is managed by the National Park Service. The area was first made a national monument on March 2, 1933. It was later changed to a national park on October 21, 1999. At that time, the park added 4,000 acres of land that the Bureau of Land Management owned. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area was also created on the same day. The park has two main entrances. The south rim entrance is 15 miles east of Montrose. The north rim entrance is 11 miles south of Crawford, but it is closed during the winter. The park includes 12 miles of the Gunnison River, which is part of a 48-mile-long river. The deepest and most dramatic part of the canyon is within the national park. However, the canyon continues upstream into Curecanti National Recreation Area and downstream into Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. The canyon’s name comes from the fact that some parts of the canyon receive only 33 minutes of sunlight each day, as noted in the book Images of America: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. In the book, author Duane Vandenbusche writes, "Several canyons in the American West are longer or deeper, but none combines the depth, steepness, narrowness, darkness, and sense of awe of the Black Canyon."
Geology
The Gunnison River drops an average of 34 feet per mile (6.4 m/km) through the entire canyon, making it the 5th steepest mountain descent in North America. In comparison, the Colorado River drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile (1.42 m/km) through the Grand Canyon. The steepest part of the Gunnison River is at Chasm View, where it drops 240 feet per mile (45 m/km). The Black Canyon is named for its steep walls, which make it hard for sunlight to reach the bottom. This causes the canyon to often be in shadow, making the rock walls look black. At its narrowest point, the canyon is only 40 feet (12 meters) wide at the river.
The extreme steepness and depth of the Black Canyon formed through several geological processes working together. The Gunnison River is mainly responsible for carving the canyon, but other geological events also contributed to its current shape.
The Precambrian gneiss and schist that form most of the canyon’s steep walls were created 1.7 billion years ago during a time when heat and pressure changed ancient volcanic rocks in what is now southern Wyoming. Lighter-colored pegmatite dikes, which cut through these rocks, formed later during the same period.
The area experienced uplift during the Laramide orogeny, a mountain-building event that occurred between 70 and 40 million years ago. This uplift raised the Precambrian gneiss and schist that make up the canyon walls. Between 26 and 35 million years ago, large volcanic eruptions in nearby mountain ranges, including the West Elk, La Sal, Henry, and Abajo Mountains, buried the area in thousands of feet of volcanic ash and debris.
The modern Gunnison River began its path 15 million years ago as runoff from the La Sal Mountains, West Elk Mountains, and Sawatch Range carved through softer volcanic deposits. A major uplift 2 to 3 million years ago caused the river to cut through these deposits. Eventually, the river reached the hard Precambrian rocks of the Gunnison Uplift. Because the river could not change its course, it carved through the extremely hard metamorphic rocks at a rate of 1 inch (25 mm) every 100 years. The river’s strong flow and high sediment levels helped it dig deeply into these rocks, creating the steep walls seen today.
Some smaller canyons that lead into the Black Canyon slope in a direction that prevents water from flowing into the canyon. Scientists believe that other streams in the area changed their flow direction due to changes in the land’s tilt. However, the Gunnison River, flowing westward, became trapped in the hard Precambrian rock of the Black Canyon and could not change its path.
History
The Ute people knew about the canyon long before Europeans arrived. They called the river "much rocks, big water" and avoided it because of their beliefs. By 1776, when the United States became independent, two Spanish groups had passed near the canyons. In the 1800s, fur trappers searched for beaver pelts and likely knew about the canyon, but they did not write about it. The first official description of the Black Canyon came in 1853 from Captain John Williams Gunnison, who was leading a survey to find a route between Saint Louis and San Francisco. He said the area was the roughest and most difficult he had ever seen. He traveled south toward Montrose. Later that year, Gunnison was killed by the Ute, and the river he called the Grand was renamed in his honor.
In 1881, William Jackson Palmer’s Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reached Gunnison from Denver. The railroad was built to connect to gold and silver mines in the San Juan Mountains. The difficult terrain made it impossible to use standard 1.435-meter-wide rail tracks. Instead, Palmer chose narrower 0.91-meter tracks. It took over a year for Irish and Italian workers to build a 15-mile (24 km) roadbed from Sapinero to Cimarron, costing $165,000 per mile. The final mile was said to cost more than the entire Royal Gorge project.
On August 13, 1882, the first passenger train passed through the Black Canyon. The editor of the Gunnison Review-Press rode in an observation car and said the canyon was unlike anything else in the world. He called it a unique place with beautiful and varied scenery.
To build the railroad through the rest of the canyon, Palmer sent engineer Bryan Bryant to explore the inner canyon in December 1882. Bryant expected to complete the survey in 20 days but returned after 68 days. Eight of the 12-man crew left early, scared by the challenge. Bryant reported that the canyon was impossible to enter and that nothing could be built there.
Following Bryant’s advice, Palmer routed the railroad south of the canyon. In March 1883, the railroad connected to Salt Lake City, briefly making the canyon part of a transcontinental railroad system. While the railroad and early visitors used the canyon to reach Utah and mines, later visitors saw it as a place for recreation.
In 1889, Rudyard Kipling described his train ride through the canyon, calling it a remarkable feat of engineering.
By 1890, an alternate route through Glenwood Springs was completed, making the Black Canyon route less important for trains. However, local rail traffic continued on the "Black Canyon Line" until the route was abandoned in the 1950s. Today, parts of the railroad, including a steel bridge in Cimarron Canyon, remain preserved.
In 1901, the U.S. Geological Survey sent Abraham Lincoln Fellows and William Torrence to find a site for a tunnel to bring water to the Uncompahgre Valley, which faced water shortages due to growing populations. Torrence, a Montrose native and expert climber, joined four others in a failed 1900 expedition using wooden boats. On a second attempt in 1901, Torrence and Fellows used a special rubber raft with a lifeline. They carried hunting knives, ropes, and rubber bags for their equipment. After 10 days of climbing, descending, and swimming through 70 river sections, they completed a 30-mile journey and found a suitable tunnel site.
Construction of the tunnel began four years later and faced many challenges. Twenty-six workers were killed during the project. Completed in 1909, the tunnel was 5.8 miles long and cost nearly $3 million. At the time, it was the world’s longest irrigation tunnel. President William Howard Taft dedicated the tunnel in Montrose on September 23, 1909. The East Portal of the Gunnison Tunnel is accessible via East Portal Road on the South Rim of the canyon. The diversion dam can be seen from the campground.
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was made a national monument in 1933 and later became a national park in 1999. It included 4,000 acres from the Bureau of Land Management. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area was also created at the same time.
Between 1933 and 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the North Rim Road, designed by the National Park Service. This included five miles of road and five overlooks. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
In 1976, about half of the park, 15,599 acres (63.13 km²), was designated a wilderness area. In 2017, the 2,500-acre Sanburg Ranch was added to the park.
Biology
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has many different types of plants and animals. Common plants found in the park include aspen, Ponderosa pine, sagebrush, desert mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), Utah juniper, Gambel oak (also called scrub oak), and single-leaf ash. The Black Canyon gilia (Aliciella penstemonoides) is a type of wildflower that grows only in this park. The park is home to many animals, such as pronghorn, black bears, coyotes, muskrats, six types of lizards, cougars, raccoons, beavers, elk, river otters, bobcats, and mule deer. The canyon also has many resident birds, like the American dipper, two types of eagles, eight kinds of hawks, six species of owls, and Steller's jay. Migrating birds that visit include the mountain bluebird, peregrine falcon, magpie, white-throated swift, and canyon wren.
Climate
The Köppen climate classification system shows that Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has a climate with warm summers and humid conditions, known as continental, and labeled Dfb in the system.
Attractions
From 2007 to 2016, about 190,000 tourists visited the park each year on average. The main attractions include the scenic drive along US Highway 50 and Colorado Highway 92, as well as the south rim. The east end of the park, where it connects to Blue Mesa Reservoir at Blue Mesa Point, has the most developed camping areas. These include tent camping, RV camping with full hookups (private sites), and activities like canyon tours, hiking, fishing, and boat tours. Nearby is the Curecanti National Recreation Area, which has a visitor center, marina facilities, and 10 campgrounds, including Lake Fork Campground. The west end of the park allows river access by car and offers guided canyon tours. A short hike from Blue Mesa Point Information Center leads to Pine Creek and Morrow Point, where visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, and hiking. At the south rim, there is one campground for tent and RV camping, with one loop having electrical hookups, and several hiking and nature trails. The north rim is also accessible by car and has a small, primitive campground. Automobiles can reach the river via East Portal Road at the south rim, which has a steep slope of 16% and is not allowed for vehicles longer than 22 feet (7 meters).
The river can also be reached through steep, unmaintained trails called "routes" or "draws" on both the north and south rims. These trails take about two hours to hike down and two to four hours to return, depending on the route. All inner canyon descents are physically demanding and require Class 3 climbing skills and basic route-finding abilities. Challenges include steep rocks, difficult-to-cross ledges, and limited shelter. Poison ivy grows widely in these areas, so long sleeves and hiking boots are strongly advised. Visitors should consider the Gunnison River's flow rate when planning canyon camping, as high water levels can flood campsites. The National Park Service warns: "Routes are hard to follow, and only people in excellent physical condition should attempt these hikes. Hikers must find their own way and be ready for self-rescue." A free backcountry permit is required for all inner canyon use except at the west end.
The Gunnison River is designated as a Gold Medal Water from 200 yards downstream of Crystal Reservoir Dam to the North Fork, including the 12 miles within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Only artificial flies and lures are allowed, and all rainbow trout must be released after catching. Fishing is not permitted within 200 yards downstream of Crystal Dam.
The Black Canyon is a popular spot for rock climbing, specifically traditional climbing. Most climbs are difficult and intended for experienced climbers. Rafting is available in the area, but the river run through the park is a challenging technical route for expert kayakers only. Some sections require long, dangerous portages, and the remaining rapids are Class III–V, suitable only for skilled river runners. Downstream, in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, the river is slightly easier to navigate but remains remote and suitable only for experienced runners, with rapids classified as Class III–IV.
In popular culture
In 1954, Frank William Erickson composed a musical piece titled Black Canyon of the Gunnison. In her 1967 novel City of Illusions, author Ursula K. Le Guin used the canyon as the location for a city with the same name. In 2017, The Infamous Stringdusters released a song called 1901: A Canyon Odyssey, which describes a journey made by Fellows and Torrence.