Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

canyon · Colorado · geology · national park

Super narrow gorge. The Black Canyon is famous for being incredibly narrow and steep, combining depth, sheer walls, and darkness in a way that few other American canyons do.

Sun-starved shadows. Parts of the canyon only receive 33 minutes of direct sunlight per day because the walls are so tall and close together.

Gunnison River carves it. The park contains 12 miles of the Gunnison River, which is a 48-mile-long river that carved this spectacular canyon over millions of years.

Two rim entrances. You can visit from the south rim (15 miles east of Montrose) or the north rim (11 miles south of Crawford), though the north rim closes in winter.

Young national park. It started as a national monument in 1933 but became a full national park in 1999, when it also incorporated 4,000 acres of land.