Parks / Colorado and the Great Basin
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Stop 20 of 51 on the loop. Stay in Montrose CO, give it 2 nights, and plan the day around South Rim Drive.
- State
- CO
- Stay in
- Montrose CO
- Nights on this route
- 2
- Month on this route
- May
- Don't miss
- South Rim Drive
- Getting here
- 152 mi from Cortez CO, about 3 h 37 min.
- Next stop
- Great Sand Dunes, 187 mi, about 4 h 9 min.
About the Park
Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the Gunnison River sculpted this canyon over two million years. The result is a vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.
Description from the National Park Service.
Where to Stay
On this route you sleep in Montrose CO. Gateway towns have more lodging, groceries and fuel than the park itself. If you want an in-park lodge instead, the busiest parks book up as early as 13 months out.
Entrance Fees
- $30 Private Vehicle
- $25 Motorcycle
- $15 Per person (walk or bike in)
An $80 America the Beautiful annual pass covers entry at every national park; on a trip like this it pays for itself after three parks. Fees from the NPS, checked 2026-10-18.
Nearby Parks
- Mesa Verde about 87 mi as the crow flies
- Arches about 91 mi as the crow flies
- Canyonlands about 91 mi as the crow flies
Official site: https://www.nps.gov/blca/. Route data checked 2026-10-19.