Tips for planning a drive through Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park!
Where is Black Canyon?
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is about a 5 hour drive south of Denver, or a 4 ½ hour drive from Colorado Springs. Honestly the drive itself is pretty amazing, you will pass the Pike National Forest as you head into the San Juan mountain range. And if you are making the drive in the fall the Aspen trees will be alight with oranges and golds, Colorado in autumn is truly a beautiful sight to behold!
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The best way to drive through Black Canyon is by traveling along the South Rim of the canyon. The aptly-named South Rim Road is a 7 mile long scenic route that takes you to all of the highlights of the park. There are 12 scenic overlooks along the South Rim Drive, many with short trails that are easy out-and-back walks. Some of the overlooks can be repetitive so we’ve highlighted the best stops below, listed in order starting from the visitor’s center.
Note: There is no bridge to connect to the North Rim, which would be another 2-3 hour drive to get to by driving around the canyon.
Cool facts about the park:
- The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was so named because parts of the gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day.
- At over 8,300 feet elevation, it is pretty windy. Bring layers, and sunscreen! The temperature range in the park is 120 degrees, from minus 20 degrees F in the winter to 100 degrees F in the summer.
- The Painted Wall is the highest vertical cliff in the state of Colorado, and is 800 feet higher than Chicago’s Willis Tower (former Sears Tower), the tallest skyscraper in the U.S.
We love the ease of having the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass when we are visiting the parks! If you are planning on visiting more than 2 parks a year, the pass is definitely worth your investment. At some parks it even saves you time entering the park, as you can bypass the normal lines and drive right in!
Visitor's Center & Gunnison Point
We entered the park from CO-347. The other way in is on the East Portal Road, which is closed in the winter. The first stop we saw once in the park was Tomichi Point, where you can get the first glimpse of the canyon. There is a trail here too, but you can just stop at the overlook if you want.
The next stop is the visitor’s center, always a great place to pop in and grab a map of the park. Right next door is Gunnison Point, a short 0.2 mile walk.
Pulpit Rock & Devil's Lookout
Driving through the park, the next stop is Pulpit Rock and Devil’s Lookout. Every turn you make in this park has a completely different view. Devil’s Lookout is only a 0.5 mile out and back walk and is super easy.
There were no lines even in the busy season, and on most hikes we saw no other people. It was like being in a completely different world!
Painted Wall
One of our favorite views was the Painted wall, and Chasm View was also very dramatic and breathtaking. You can walk from one viewpoint to the other easily, so be sure to see them both. These are two of the signature spots in the park, and photos rarely do justice to the exhilarating and vertigo-inducing drops when you are looking 2,250 feet straight down into the canyon.
You can drive through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in one day easily. It is a spectacular park and we highly recommend you add it to your list! Sign up below to follow along with our journeys and to read about all of the national parks we’ve enjoyed.
Where to Stay Near Black Canyon
You can see our recommendations of places to stay near the Black Canyon in this post about our road trip here. The closest towns are Ouray, Telluride, and Ridgway. Read more below!
Downtown Ouray
The town of Ouray (pronounced “yur-ay) is a cute small town in a box canyon, about an hour from the Black Canyon. Ouray is known as the “Switzerland of America”, and has some of the largest non-sulfur hot springs in the U.S. We recommend staying in a place that has access to the natural hot springs to fully (figuratively and literally) immerse yourself in all the town has to offer.
For options for lodging in the area, click here for a list with reviews of the best places to stay in Ouray, Colorado!
Telluride, Colorado
Telluride is about an hour and a half south of the canyon, and is definitely a town worth visiting. The drive between Ouray and Telluride was gorgeous with all the fall colors. We stopped at a few overlooks along the Uncompahgre National Forest, which is such a beautiful part of Colorado. When in Telluride be sure to make the hike to Bridal Veil Falls and ride on the Telluride Gondola for a birds eye view of this cute mountain town.
If you are planning a trip to Telluride, Ouray, or Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, you will not be disappointed. Read about our road trip through all three places from Denver for tips on enjoying an action-packed weekend in Colorado. The views are spectacular everywhere you turn in the gorgeous San Juan mountain range, we loved exploring all around this area and can’t wait to go back.
Safe travels!
What a nice post. I have read your other posts which are really informative for any traveler. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful informative information on the blog.
Thank you for your kind words!