Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.”
— Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Date Created: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was designated a national monument on March 2, 1933, and it was redesignated as a national park on October 21, 1999.
Location: Western Colorado, USA.
Size: Approximately 30,750 acres (12,426 hectares).
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of my favorite national parks. Gazing down the deep gorges I felt a sense of vertigo. The Gunnison River seemed but a distant stream. I watched birds catch thermals from the ridges and imagined what an exhilarating experience it would be to fly so fear-free and gracefully over canyons with depths nearly 3000’ feet below. The exquisite Painted Walls were formed by magma seeping through cracks in the black rocks resulting in hundreds of beautiful pink and crimson pegmatite streaks on the vertical walls. While rock climbers from all over the world challenge these cliffs I was content to sit mesmerized by the breathtaking view. Seriously, for those with fear of high places, hang on.
