Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

at 24 July 2015

130 miles southeast of Grand Junction is the magnificent Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a constricted gorge, over 2,600 ft unfathomable in places, cut throughout dark-colored rocks of the Palaeozoic era.

Wildlife in the region includes black bears, coyotes and the occasional bobcat or cougar.

The North edge of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument is easily reached by Highway 92 south of Crawford. The unpaved North Rim Road has six overlooks and is fairly frequently closed during the winter because snow. Hiking trails and lookouts off of this sector include the 2.5 mile Dead horse Trail, the 1.5 mile North Vista Trail, and the Balanced Rock overlook.

The South Rim of the Black Canyon is seven miles long with twelve overlooks. The drive is accessed by U.S. 50, east of Montrose.