We had planned on spending one night on BLM land next to the Colorado River near Moab and to do a quick 6-mile kayak float down the river, followed by our last night in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado. Instead we decided to skip kayaking and spend our last two nights in Black Canyon, reducing the number of camper setup/teardowns.
On our way east on I-70 towards Colorado we saw the “Pedaling Until our Troops Come Home” bicyclist again! We last saw him on Jun 29th on our way to Natural Bridges NM, 3 weeks ago! His sign said he has been pedaling over 8 years. Amazing.
We arrived at South Rim Campground at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP to find a good spot with electric hookup. The elevation is 8320 feet. Black Canyon is an incredibly deep, sheer walled canyon that is the result of hard rock uplifted, some volcanic activity, and then cutting through by the fast moving Gunnison River for 2 million years. It got its name “Black” because it is so deep, so steep, and so narrow that not much sunlight penetrates to the bottom. In just 48 miles in Black Canyon the river drops more in elevation than the 1500-mile Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Gunnison River drops an average of 96 feet per mile within the 18-mile national park. At one point the gorge is 2772 feet deep. It is extremely dangerous to kayak with a Class V to unnavigable designation, something done only by very experienced kayakers.
After lunch we drove the scenic South Rim Road to several overlooks. We stopped at Tomichi Point, Gunnison Point at the visitor center, Pulpit Rock, Cross Fissures View, Devil’s Lookout, Chasm View, Dragon Point and Sunset Point. Chasm View shows one of the most narrow and steep parts of the gorge and Dragon Point offers the most incredible look at the gorge and the river below as it begins to exit to the west. Black Canyon is an amazing place. One would never know it was there, especially on the North Rim. The surrounding countryside is rolling, green hills with that sudden drop into the gorge, as if someone took a knife and sliced vertically down to make the canyon.
The next morning we hiked the 1-mile Rim Rock Trail to the visitor center where we picked up the 2-mile Oak Flat Trail. This trail took us a little bit down into the gorge and connects to the Gunnison Trail which is an unmarked trail the goes to the bottom. One needs a permit and it is very strenuous and technical, therefore not recommended for kids. We returned to the campground via the 2-mile Uplands Trail.
In the afternoon we drove down the East Portal Road which brings you down to the Gunnison River and the Gunnison Tunnel southeast of the campground. This road has 16% grades and hairpin turns and vehicles longer than 22 feet are prohibited. The drive provides gorgeous views of the canyon and river below. We found a spot where the river bank was shallow and hung out for a while. Here the river is smoother yet fast flowing and the canyon walls aren’t quite as steep. The boys played in the gravel making dams and such. The water is supposed to be about 50 degrees, so one can’t stand in it very long. Fly fishing for trout is popular here. We saw a few trout jump out of the water. We also spotted two snakes, including a pencil thin one that Esther tried to catch.
Later we did a hash-house run through the campground, Ethan and Esther vs. Liam and William.
We saw plenty of mule deer including a doe and her spotted fawn who decided to lie down in the bushes next to our campsite. Rabbits were everywhere.
The Davids' Cross-Country Trip 