Posted on by dhoch49

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nat. Park, 9.8.17

 

 

After breakfast we packed sandwiches we were off to Black Canyon.   This canyon is roughly 2,000 feet deep and at its narrowest  point it is 1,000 feet across at the rim and only 40 feet at the bottom.  Since it is difficult for the sun to reach all of the walls because of the angles, it got it’s name “Black Canyon.”

On our way to the South Rim Visitors Center, we had some road traffic-free range cattle!

We had to wait for these fellows to cross the road.

Once in the park, we stopped at the first pull off to get our initial glimpse of Black Canyon.   I could tell right away that we were going to enjoy exploring this place.  At the visitors center we watched an orientation film about the park’s geology and wildlife. I was surprised to learn that early in the 1900’s they made a tunnel in the canyon to divert water from the Gunnison river  to irrigate the surrounding  arid land  to allow for farming and cattle grazing.It took over 4 years to build the tunnel; it was completed in 1909 and is still in use today.

There is a trail called Gunnison Point at the center that offers stunning views of the canyon.  There was a Ranger tour at 10 about the geology of the park.   We decided to go with Ranger Kim on the hike.   While I wasn’t that excited to learn about rocks, Kim did a great job of pointing out the different rocks of the canyon.   The steep walls of the canyon are about two billion years old.   Her talk gave you an idea how our presence here on earth is just a mere dot in the timeline of the earth.

 

Ranger Kim giving us a demonstration of how the canyon was formed. Showing a combination of fault collision and volcanic activity, we got the idea of how the canyon walls got pushed up and how  the powerful forces of the wind and waters of the Gunnison River contributed to the canyon we see today.
The southern walls of the canyon get more sun. Notice the sloping sides on the right showing greater vegetation and erosion that the north walls.

We then took the seven mile road through the park, stopping at various view points along the way.   We ate our sandwiches at one to the picnic tables.   It was really hot and we were glad that we brought along lots of water.  In fact before going on our last hike to Warner’s Point, the very last stop along the road, we drove back to the Visitors Center and refilled all of our water jugs.

 

Notice the Gunnison River cutting through the canyon.

 

The Painted Wall which is Colorado’s tallest cliff. Pink strands of pegmatite (an igneous  granite like rock) give the wall its colorful streaks.
Armed with plenty of water, we were ready to head to Warner’s Point. We went on another ranger led tour with Ranger Megan. Her talk focused on wilderness and the need to preserve wilderness areas like Black Canyon. Looking at the awesome view at the end of the trail which is the steepest drop off from the rim to the river, we certainly understood her message!

 

We made it to Warner’s Point which drops 2,772 feet from top to the river. You can see both the San Juan and the West Elk Mountains from here. We were glad we had our trekking poles. Over 18,000 steps on my Fitbit today!

We loved our day at Black Canyon.   Taking the two ranger led hikes were a highlight. The views from the various stops were all different yet awesome.   What a spectacular park!  And to think we had never heard of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison  before our  national park map.  Second national park off our check list!  We will sleep well tonight!

 

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