Colorado is full of unbelievable state and national parks, with Rocky Mountain National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Park often sitting as people’s #1 and #2 destinations in the incredible state. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park seems to be the more forgotten of the state’s 4 National Parks (Masa Verde being the 4th), but those hoping to experience all that the state has to offer shouldn’t make the mistake of skipping it.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison stretches to a max depth of 2,722 feet with a narrowest width of just 40 feet. It stretches for a total of 48 miles, 14 of which are inside the National Park. Some portions of the canyon are so deep and so sheltered that they only see a little over 30 minutes a day of sunshine, giving the canyon its name. National Park Diaries explored the geology of this fascinating park, answering why its walls are so steep, dramatic, and deep.
