Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado  [naionalgeographic.com]

Few canyons anywhere match Colorado's Black for its combination of sheer walls, narrow opening, and depth. It's 2,722 feet deep at its greatest depth, and in places its rim-to-rim opening is a mere 500 feet. Its name comes from the darkness of its gneiss and schist stone, but lack of direct sunlight contributes to the effect. No trails venture into the canyon, but determined scramblers can make their way down rock-filled gullies, as fly-fishers occasionally do to cast in the gold-medal trout waters of the Gunnison. The return trip is arduous. Get guidance from park rangers before attempting a hike to the bottom. Otherwise, this is mainly a look-at, rather than a hike-into canyon, and the best look-at hike is probably the North Vista Trail, a 7.2-mile round-trip. It leads from the North Rim Ranger Station to Exclamation Point, for one great look at the canyon, and then to the top of Green Mountain, 867 feet higher, for a high view that takes in the rim as well as the canyon.