About Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Big enough to be overwhelming, yet intimate enough to feel the pulse of time, Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Over the past two million years, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky. The Black Canyon hosts a variety of ecosystems from pinyon pine, juniper, and scrub oak forests at the rim, to the shady and vertical inner canyon walls, and down to the riparian community along the Gunnison River.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains in west-central Colorado. The park is situated in the transition between the Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountain provinces and hosts riparian habitats, steep canyons, sagebrush hillsides, and areas of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and aspen.
Source: Foundation Document Overview – Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Fast Facts:
| Date the Park was Established: | October 21, 1999 |
| Park Area (as of 2019): | 30,779.83 acres (124.6 km2) |
| Recreational Visitors (2018 Total): | 308,962 visitors |