Final Trails at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

After Work Adventures | Friday, June 7, 2024

After finishing my last hike at the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park two weekends ago, that left me with only one short trail in the entire park that I had not hiked yet, along with maybe a couple of other short walks to overlooks that I could not remember if I had ever been out to before, though I most likely had a long time ago. Since I was going to be in the area to start driving the Rimrocker Trail from Montrose to Moab on Saturday morning, I figured that I might as well head over to the Black Canyon on Friday evening so I could spend a few hours there and finish hiking all the trails in the park. As usual, I left work on Friday and made my way down to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Although it is currently the busy season for the park, I was hoping it wouldn’t be quite as busy because of the ongoing US 50 bridge closure and road construction inside the park.

Welcome to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

After reaching the Visitor Center, I walked out to Gunnison Point before starting my hike across the Uplands Trail, which was the final trail in the park that I had not hiked yet.

Following the Uplands Trail across Vernal Mesa to the campground.

The trail crossed the road right where they were doing road construction, and I’m lucky the National Park Service did not close the trail because of it, since that’s typically something they would do to protect the visitors of the park…

The Uplands Trail

I joined the Rim Rock Trail shortly before reaching the campground and followed that trail back to the Visitor Center creating a nice loop.

Descending the Rim Rock Trail toward the rim of the Black Canyon.

Black Canyon Spotlight

Rim Rock Trail

Rain over the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

After returning to my Jeep, I continued along the road through the park and planned to stop and walk to the overlooks that I wasn’t sure I had been to before. I ended up visiting all of the overlooks along the road this evening…

Looking into the depths of the Black Canyon from the Pulpit Rock viewpoint.

Devils Lookout Trail

Light in the Black Canyon

I stopped to photograph the Dragon Tree on my way out to Dragon Point.

Which angle do you prefer?

There was a nice view over Bostwick Park to Storm King as I hiked out to Warner Point.

Warner, 1934

Warner Point View

After leaving the Black Canyon, I stopped in Montrose for some ice cream and then drove to the other side of the Uncompahgre River Valley and found a place to camp near the beginning of the Rimrocker Trail.

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