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National park in Colorado, US
Photo: NPS/Lisa Lynch, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park run by the National Park Service in Southwestern Colorado, east of Montrose. It contains 12 miles of a spectacular and scenic gorge called the Black Canyon. It is adjacent to Curecanti National Recreation Area.
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Boat tours into the canyon, moonlight outings, snowshoe walks and star-gazing walks are some of the activities arranged by staff.
15 sites. All sites are first-come, first-served. The East Portal Campground is located within Curecanti National Recreation Area, but is adjacent to and only accessible from Black Canyon National Park. The campground is located at the bottom of the canyon, along the Gunnison River. It is a small, tent-only campground shaded by box elder trees. East Portal is closed in winter, when the Bureau of Reclamation closes the East Portal Road.
(Open from Spring to Fall) 13 sites in Pinyon-Juniper forest with vault toilets, tables and grills. All sites are first-come, first-served and have a maximum 14 consecutive day stay in a 30-day period.. Water is available mid-May to mid-October. No hook-ups. Vehicles greater than 35 feet are not recommended. Maximum 8 persons and 2 vehicles per site. The North Rim Campground is a remote campground on the North Rim of the Park. The last 7 miles of the North Rim Road and the campground road are unpaved. Services are limited. The campground is small, but the sites are spacious and spread out among pinyon and juniper trees. This campground can easily fill in the summer, especially on weekends.
Loop A open year round. Loops B & C open Spring to Fall. 88 sites, 23 sites with electricial hookups. 56 sites can be reserved in advance, 32 sites are first-come, first-served. Sites are located in an oak-brush forest with vault toilets, tables and grills. Water is available mid-May to mid-October. 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical hookups are available in Loop B only. All sites have a maximum 14 consecutive day stay in a 30-day period. Vehicles greater than 35 feet are not recommended. Maximum of 8 persons and 2 vehicles per site. Accessible sites: A21 and B1. Reservations may be made for South Rim Loops A and B only, and must be made at least 3 days in advance.
By bus
Intercity bus service to Montrose or Grand Junction is available.
By train
Amtrak's California Zephyr Emeryville, California - Chicago route has a stop in Grand Junction.
By plane
The nearest cities with commercial airline service are Montrose and Gunnison. A third airport in Grand Junction is 80.5 miles from the park via US Route 50, with Montrose en route.
The South Rim has more services, facilities and overlooks, and provides better views of the Painted Wall.
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Montrose · Regional · MTJ
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