National Park · Colorado, United States
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park in Colorado, United States, covering 30,780 acres (12,456 ha), established in 1999; it recorded 250,086 visits in 2025.
Photo: Terry Foote via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Colorado, United States |
| Area | 30,780 acres (12,456 ha) |
| Established | 1999 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 250,086 |
| Coordinates | 38.5700° N, 107.7200° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park of the United States located in western Colorado and managed by the National Park Service. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was established as a national monument on March 2, 1933. It was redesignated a national park on October 21, 1999, and incorporated 4,000 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area was created at the same time.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
May to September — warm days; winter brings snow and limited access
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Montrose, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Montrose Regional Airport |
| Getting there | There are two primary entrances to the park: the south rim entrance is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Montrose, while the north rim entrance is 11 miles (18 km) south of Crawford and is closed in the winter. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Famous trails
- Rim Rock Trail — 1.0 miles (1.6 km) — Easy
- Oak Flat Trail — 2.0 miles (3.2 km) — Moderate
Like Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park? Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) · Montrose, United States · 10.3 miles away
- Gunnison Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) · Gunnison, United States · 42.5 miles away
- Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) · Telluride, United States · 43.8 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Colorado
Frequently asked questions
Where is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is in Colorado, United States (38.5700° N, 107.7200° W).
When was Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park established?
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was established in 1999, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park covers 30,780 acres (12,456 ha).
How many people visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park each year?
It recorded 250,086 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
May to September — warm days; winter brings snow and limited access.
Does Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
The nearest town is Montrose, Colorado. The nearest airport is Montrose Regional Airport. There are two primary entrances to the park: the south rim entrance is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Montrose, while the north rim entrance is 11 miles (18 km) south of Crawford and is closed in the winter.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Canyon_of_the_Gunnison_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/ — Official park page.
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/things2do.htm — Named trails, as stated by the source.