South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Credit: NPS

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado is reopening the South Rim Road on Friday, August 29th, following wildfire closures that came earlier this summer. Visitors will be able to drive the entire South Rim Road, including accessing all park overlooks. Views of burned and unburned vegetation will be available along the road. Additionally, 24 hour operations will resume at Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Openings

According to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the following areas will be open starting on Friday, August 29th:

  • The entire South Rim Road (7.3 miles (11.7 km) one-way) from the entrance station to High Point.
  • The visitor center and park store from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
  • All 12 viewpoints off the South Rim Road.
  • Rim Rock Trail from the visitor center to Tomichi Point (0.25 miles (0.4 km) one-way) and Warner Point Trail (0.75 miles (1.2 km) one-way).
  • Warner wilderness route and Red Rock Canyon wilderness route will also open for reservation-holders through www.recreation.gov.

Please note that the following locations will remain closed until further notice:

  • East Portal Campground and East Portal Road.
  • The South Rim Campground.
  • All trails and wilderness routes accessed from the South Rim and East Portal that are not listed above.
  • Burned areas.

Entering the closed trails, routes, and burned areas is prohibited by superintendent’s order. Extreme safety risks from dead and downed trees and rock fall exist in burned areas. Root systems and sharp stobs create trip hazards while pockets of ash can lead to unstable footing. These closures are in place to protect visitors and help park staff repair the damage. Failure to comply can result in citations.

Operations on the North Rim have returned to normal. The ranger station is open and staff is available once again. Additionally, the campground, trails, and overlooks are open and accessible and all North Rim trails and wilderness routes are open.

Learn more about the South Rim Fire at Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

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Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work...