Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO

We may have miscalculated where to stop for the night if we really wanted to go to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We had to drive nearly all the way back to Montrose. It was well worth the drive, though.

This is one of the newer National Parks. While it was designated a National Monument in the 1930’s, it was not until 1996 that it became a national park.

Early Native American’s inhabited the area of the canyon, but above the rim since the gorge itself was pretty much inaccessible due to the steep canyon walls and narrow riverbed.

Uncompaghre Valley from High Point Overlook.

Intrepid surveyor’s began searching for a train route through the canyon in the late 1800’s, but labeled the canyon impenetrable. By 1900 local ranchers were trying to get access to the river water for irrigation, but exploratory trips down the river by boat to find a way to divert water to the Uncompahgre Valley were not successful. The boats were crushed on the rocks and their supplies were lost. A year later two surveyors were successful in using inflated rubber mattresses. They did find a potential location to begin a tunnel through the mountain and a nearly six mile long tunnel was eventually dug straight through solid rock to bring irrigation water to the valley. When you stand here and look at the gorge you can see what an unimaginable feat that was.

Engineering aside, this is a stunningly beautiful area and we were able to get another couple of miles of hiking done. Thankfully, the hiking trails here are well maintained and, apart from the steep grades, easy walking.

After hiking the rim trails we drove to the river level to see the tunnel entrance. Yes, it is still in use. The road to the canyon floor is very steep and winding and they make that clear at the start.

 

The tunnel entrance is beneath the small building that houses the gate that opens the tunnel during growing season. The tunnel is dry the remainder of the year.

 

The road out of the canyon is seen snaking up the center of this photo. It descends nearly 2000’ in a horizontal mile. 

Other factoids are that the river in the canyon descends a greater distance in its 48-mile length than the Mississippi does in its 1500 mile run from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. At a normal peak flow the river moves 12,000 cubic feet of water per second. This is its low period of about 500 cubic feet per second, so you can imagine what it is like at full rage.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Colorado Springs and the FamCamp at the Air Force Academy where I will stay while Barbara returns home for a week.