October 21, 2022, marks the 23rd birthday of this National Park in Colorado. That means Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the youngest American National Park landmarks, but geologically, its appearance is one of the oldest. Rock formations in the steep cliff walls at this Park go back billions of years. Similar to the Grand Canyon and its Colorado River chisel, the Gunnison River’s steep descent (fifth steepest mountain descent in North America at 34 feet per mile — compared with the Colorado’s 7 1/2 feet per mile drop,) created what now are sheer cliffs of Precambrian rock. Because of its depth, only 30 minutes of sunlight a day reach the base of the cliffs. Thus, they named it “Black Canyon” long ago.
Today, as a destination, there are ample things to do and plenty of places to camp in nearby recreational areas. There are no lodges or stores on-site, so bring your own provisions if you want to stay the night. The rim drives are scenic, (a must-see is the Painted Wall,) and you can access the river below. At one point in time, a narrow-gauge railroad skirted the canyon. The remnants of this Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad can be seen in nearby Cimarron, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you like natural mineral history (gneiss, schist,) and man-made history (D&RGW,) you should enjoy this Park.