I have been to Black Canyon a couple of years ago when it was snowed over. I got to use snow shoes for the first time. Seeing the canyon in person and walking around the perimeter was incredible.
The wife and I went there in the winter of ‘23, it was under about a foot or so of snow. I’m from Texas and have never used snow shoes, this winter if it’s covered in snow again, I’m going to learn to use a pair. There is a certain tree I want to photograph in the snow.
I didn't hike down but i saw a cow that had wonderd into the park. So i sarcastically told my step brother this park has amazing wildlife which right on a cue a huge male Elk came out of the woods to shut me up.
Great video! Love the hard focus on the geology as it really gets across how special Black Canyon is. A rare combination of factors all had to come together to make it. Such a beautiful and unique place that you have to see in person to really appreciate! The supersized scale of the gneiss walls is unlike any place I have seen on earth, and gave me a newfound respect for the scale of metamophic processess that we are never able to observe with our own eyes.
Glad you liked it! There's always so many threads to pull at when I pick out a park story like this. It's sometimes hard to pick and choose what I actually want to include in the video! But, it always means I have the opportunity to come back and tell a different story from the same park and learn even more.
Fascinating video! Would love to know more about the adaptations of plants and vegetation down at the bottom of the canyon, given it only sees 30 minutes of sunlight each day. The ecology of the canyon would be so cool to hear about.
Was a Park Ranger there years ago. Out of all of the Parks that I worked at it was my favorite. Just an amazing place with amazing people. Did Geology Walks and Talks at Chasm View and in the VC. Talked about Pegmatite since Painted Wall is named after all of the igneous dikes. The Pegmatite there had such amazing minerals and gems like Garnets, Chlorite, smoky quartz, and more.
Civil engineer, here. And a hydraulic engineer, too. Love this video. A small remark -- a gradient is same as a slope. Yes, the steeper the slope the faster water flows the more energy water imparts to obstacles. Yet, gradient isn't same as power of a river. River's power is THE CONSEQUENCE of its slope along with other variables. Just a small remark that I'm sure won't take away from this very good presentation! PS: If host would like to bounce off ideas from me my background is in hydraulics, hydrology, earth science, geology, and engineering.
@uniseine I haven't seen soil profiles of those before but I would assume they are cavities formed as glaciers melted and retreated. Concave surfaces in soft soils and in hard rock. I used to hike to a few here in the NE. They have high elevations and are ecologocally prestine with cold water ecology. These conditions are ideal for trout which are routinely stocked there!
Been to the canyon twice, and there is just no way to comprehend the scale and steepness of it. One of the most unique nps sights. Loved the animations btw, been itching for a new vid these past few weeks!
I visited the Canyon in 1968 and met the caretaker. He lived a trailer home. The view from the edge is amazing, but I didn't know about the sun issue. kinda like the high rise area in New York City, eh? Cheers, Rik Spector
If you want history, go to Mesa Verde. If you want photogenic scenery, go to Great Sand Dunes, if you like crowds, go to Rocky Mountain. But, this one you have to see in person as no pictures can capture it.
Last year I drove cross country from NY to see The Grand Canyon and The Mighty Five in Utah for the first time. We also drove The Million Dollar Highway to Silverton and visited Black Canyon. Of all the beautiful and amazing things we saw, Black Canyon was one of my absolute favorite places. Definitely in my top 3 favorite places of all time. Thanks for the video!
I was at Black Canyon for the 4th time this year. I arrived during a snow storm, and nothing at the Visitor Center was visible. By the time we reached Painted Wall, it was completely clear... this will always be my favorite Natl. Park and place in the country. It's magical.
Great explanation! This beautiful canyon is our backyard. I never tire of the Black Canyon or the scenery and geology of the Western Slope of Colorado.
I grew up in Gunnison, just a stone's throw from Black Canyon. I've been down in Black Canyon more times than I can count. I was also part of the first (and last, and only) to run the Gunnison River from it's head at Almont, CO to it's confluence with the North Fork, near Hotchkiss. No one will ever do what we did again (which included paddling the entire length of the Black Canyon) since we did it before the dams were put in. It was a very different river back then with a heavy silt load which helped it carve through the solid rock. It being shaded in the bottom was actually kind of a blessing because it kept the glare off the water, and made it easier to see the lines through the rapids. I've seen videos of people running it since then, going over small waterfalls and portaging around jumbles of rock. The flow and volume were much higher before the dam was put in, and all of those waterfalls were washed out, and all of the rock jumbles had water flowing over them, though it was the route though was definitely stout. I have lots of beautiful and amazing memories of Black Canyon going back long before it was a national park. Back then, it was just Black Canyon; a place full of mystery and surprises. It still is that, although now it is so under the protection of the National Park Service. It is one of the least visited National Parks, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. I've been to the Grand Canyon, and though it is bigger, if you ask me which I prefer, I'd say Black Canyon every time. I suppose one of the things I like better about Black Canyon is the solitude you find in many parts of it. In Grand Canyon there are people everywhere. But the solitude is a function of it not being visited as frequently. There are a lot of other things which Black Canyon has going for it including it's sheer verticality. If you are a person who is afraid of heights, this is one you'll want to stay away from. There are places where you can look over the edge and there isn't anything below you until the bottom. The Gunnison River looks like a tiny creek way down in there, but that's an illusion made by the fact that it is so far down there. It's also crazy that some of the sound of the river rushing over boulders far below actually makes it all the way up to the top. If you go to the west end of the canyon on the south rim, you can see Montrose, Delta, and eve Ouray off in the distance, and more mountains very distantly further to the west. You will often times find yourself looking out across clouds which are below in the valley. I remember one time when our family was picnicking on that western part of the south rim, watching a cloud bank approaching from the west. It got closer, and closer, then suddenly we were totally enveloped in it. It wasn't rainy, and since we were so high, we were nearly at the top of the cloud. We could see the sun through it from time to time as it thickened and thinned. Yet only a few yards away, in the parking lot, the cloud had risen high enough that it wasn't fog there. It was weird as we progressed from where we had our lunch toward the car. There were places where it was clear at head level, but the cloud was so low above us that you could literally but your hand in the cloud. We got into the car and drove back toward Gunnison, but before we had gone even a mile it began to sleet. We could see where it was sleeting before we got there, and we could look back and see that it was not sleeting behind us, and that the area of fog was still there. That canyon is magical, and it holds so much of that kind of magic, and so much to discover that you could live there full time for your entire life and never see the same scene twice. Looking from the south rim over to the north face of the canyon, you can see an area that looks like some mad artist took a brush of white paint, and made giant streaks and swaths all across the black canvas. Whether you are looking across from the south rim, or looking up at it from the river, it is a very striking sight to behold. The wildlife of the canyon is another delight, but I don't want to spoil it all for you. You will need to go there and see for yourself. I could go on forever about the canyon, as well as a number of other fun and interesting areas around Gunnison, but I've rambled on long enough. Suffice it to say that you should stay more than one night in Gunnison and just go exploring. Take the drive up Quartz Creek from Pitkin to see the sight where the Alpine Tunnel once crossed the Continental Divide. The road follows the old narrow gage railroad bed, and when the tunnel and railroad bed where carved out of the rocks it was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Also, drive over Ohio Pass over to old Irwin, a ghost town where the stumps of the trees still stand, ten feet above ground level. The settlers arrived there in the middle of winter when the snow was ten feet deep. They needed lumber, and so they cut the trees at the level of the snow. Little Irwin cemetery has some head stones and monuments of interest. Travel east over Ohio pass and you'll end up in the ski town of Crested Bute. But the visually most beautiful sight approaching Ohio Pass is looking out to the west across the valley to the Castles and then up further where scenic waterfalls plunge straight over cliffs to the valley floor below. It is a beautiful sight to behold, and you don't even have to get out of your car to see it (though doing so is highly advised). It's a wonderful area. Take the time to enjoy all of it, not just the National Park, which in and of itself takes a minimum of two days to fully take in. Leave plenty of time, relax, and enjoy the whole region.
Wow, I really appreciate these stories and your perspective. I love when my viewers teach me about something I never knew, or leave me with a perspective only a local would know. I loved reading your comment and reminiscing right along with you about the Black Canyon's stories. Thank you!
@@NationalParkDiaries Thank you for the video. I'm glad you got to spend time here, and I hope you'll get to come back someday, and think of what a time you had here. Thank you also for serving the nation in its national parks. I've never been to a park where the staff weren't top notch, and really interested in bringing knowledge of the parks to those who visit them.
Thanks for making this video! I've been to this park twice now, and what the Grand Canyon has in breadth and scale the Black Canyon makes up for in sheer verticality and depth. Standing along the edge of the canyon is a vertigo-inducing, humbling experience.
We were just at The Black Canyon of the Gunnison six days ago. Camping down in the canyon at the East Portal campgrounds. What an amazing place. Don't forget the Blue Ribbon Trout waters that the Gunnison also provides.
Great video! Quck correction Ive worked on the gunnison river for 10 years and it actually could get considerably higher than 12,000 cfs, the highest recorded water level was about 18,000 cfs and it actually reached 12,000 just a few years ago. But its theorized it could have gotten much much higher when the local climate was wetter. There is evidence that in the last thousand or so years high water was potentially up to 40,000 cfs! and it could have been much higher further back!
Please do visit! I recommend going along the North Rim to the North Fork Valley which has Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia. Starting in June, Crawford has Pioneer Days, Paonia has Cherry Days around the 4th of July, then Hotchkiss has the county fair at the end of July, start of August so there's always something going on. There are so many beautiful spots, but even if you don't stop and just pass through, the view of the West Elk mountains on the eastern side the North Fork Valley are beautiful. Mount Lamborn, Lands End, Sleeping Indian, C Hill, Needlerock, Saddle Mountain, Castle Rock, and Cathedral Peak create a very distinct and unique horizon. Plus, there's very, very little light pollution. The stars in the sky are so bright that you don't even need a flashlight during the new moon. During the full moon, it's almost bright enough to read by. Past Hotchkiss is Delta. They still have a drive-in theater where they show a double feature for only $9 for adults, $2 for children, and have a gorgeous restored Egyptian Theater, of which there aren't a ton left. They hold Deltarado days near the end of July and the Council Tree Pow Wow is usually held in September. On the way to Montrose, whose county fair is usually mid-July, nearby Olathe has some of the sweetest corn you could ever eat at the Sweet Corn Festival near the end of August. Past Montrose to the south is Ouray, which is one of the towns who have hot springs, along with Glenwood Springs (where Doc Holliday is buried) to the northeast of Paonia and is on the West Elk Loop scenic Highway. Sorry to sound like a travel brochure, I grew up there and it will always have a very special place in my heart.
I've just come across your channel. If all your videos are as good as this one, I'm a new fan! You gave a perfectly detailed, concise and easy to folllow explanation of how this canyon was formed. Some videos stop short with an unsatisfying half explanation. Yours covered it all just nicely without being too long winded!
I was there last year! We even got stuck in a cattle-jam on the way to the South rim which was interesting/hilarious/gross. The canyon is beautiful and it's amazing how LOUD the river is even from some of the overlooks.
Fall of 2023, incredibly deep, my wife was especially impressed with it's depth. One park visitor REFUSED to go near it, his wife had to ask strangers to take her picture.
I visited the Black Canyon in 2014, and it is so beautiful! The canyon walls have some of the most unusual, and visually striking geological patterns in them, almost like looking at some dark grey gemstone 🤩🤩🤩. I've lived out West my whole life, visited most of the national parks out here, and spend my free time being a desert rat, seeking obscure and isolated pieces of geological wonders, and the Black Canyon is one of the most wonderful I've seen!
There's a whole video's worth of stuff about the canyon walls and why they look the way they do! Very cool park indeed with so many overlapping stories!
The black and white pattern reminded me of Taroko Gorge, a National Park in Taiwan where the canyon walls are made of marble. It is one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen.
Thank you so much! Nothing brings me more joy than helping people learn about these incredible places. I have an awesome audience and community who are interested in learning, which I will forever be grateful for.
Black Canyon was a great finish to our hiking trip last year that started with the Grand Canyon. The hike to the bottom and back up wasn't too hard, was a lot shorter than the Grand Canyon! and the views were amazing. Needles, Arches, Zion and other parks in the area are amazing to hike in. Too many people know about them though. They are all a lot busier than when I visited back in the 1992 - too busy IMHO. But then the parks are working ways to deal with the crowds - lotteries and whatnot to limit visitors. I love how Zion now has a shuttle system - no more cars backed up on the road.
I took my middle kid with me on my first visit, Labor Day of 2020. We spent a few hours at the bottom fishing. It was definitely dark in the steeper sections.
Visited the black canyon in August and did the Gunnison route to the bottom. Was an amazing experience doing the rock scramble. I did see the sun at the bottom, but that is one of the wider sections of the canyon. If you’re in shape, I would highly recommend the Gunnison route. I would recommend the Curecanti Creek trail at the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area even more - one of the best hikes I’ve ever done. The park and surrounding area also has a fascinating history related to exploration and irrigation with the east portal. The Gunnison river is the main reason the region is capable of the agriculture it produces today.
Getting down into the Canyon is definitely on my bucket list when I go visit this one. Didn't know about the Curecanti hike, but it's on the list now too! I did read about the exploration and irrigation history when researching this one and agree - very fascinating indeed.
That sounds like a really good place to avoid when there is even the slightest risk of a Flash Flood. If you are in "the Narrows" when a significant flash flood hits, you are done. Definitely NOT going on a white water rafting trip down that one! The animations were very illuminating.
There is absolutely no danger of a flash flood. The drainage area for the canyon is relatively small, and three dams (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal) control the water flow in the canyon. The biggest downside to kayaking the canyon is multiple strenuous portages through loose scree and poison ivy. If you want to raft the Gunnison, put in below the canyon at Chukar Trail (high-clearance 4wd required to get to the trailhead, and a decent hike down to the river).
Not me having a Black Canyon of the Gunnison poster on the wall right next to me... But honestly this park is one of the most beautiful one's I've been to and this is coming from somebody who's been to about a dozen. I'd urge anybody going to colorado to give this park a visit, even if it means not going to rocky mountain NP. You can see mountains in so many different parts of the country but only in colorado can you see our incredible black canyon
Within the NP is the former townsite of East Portal. Hang a right after the entry booth and drive down to the river level (if your brakes are good). East Portal was so named because it is the east entrance of the Gunnison Tunnel, that carries water six miles west to the Uncompahgre River valley. Opened in 1909, the tunnel allowed the valley to be irrigated to grow food for the mining towns in the San Juan mountains. I live in Montrose Colorado and one of the irrigation canals runs about 100 feet from my house. There is so much history in this part of the state - I'm so lucky to live here. Black Canyon is the first place I take visitors. My two favorite hikes in the park are Oak Flat Trail (not flat at all!) and Warner Point Trail. In the winter they close the road just past the visitor center and groom the snow for cross country skiing. Or you can snowshoe on Upland Trail. Best beer and pizza in Montrose is Colorado Boy Pizza.
finally a good video about the Black canyon! I had the privledge to raft this whole stretch of river with a great group in 2021. I learned so much about that land, and caught some beautiful trout. I even slept in some historic places and caves! It is life changing. Anyone thinking about going must someday!
I live about 30 mins from BCOTG Nat Park. I visit a few times a year. The river trails are quite a challenge but the best view is from the bottom. I saw a baby bear in a tree by the road this spring which was actually kind of scary, we never saw the Mom. Luckily, a Ranger was also there keeping an eye on the situation.
Hello Good Folks. Wonderful video. Thank You. I visited the park in 2022 but stayed up on the rim and viewed the river from various overlooks. It rained and snowed and that added some drama to the views. Well worth visiting this wonderful public land. FYI, the park is in western Colorado; not too far from Grand Junction.
It's funny, I lived only 30 mins from the Black Canyon for the first 16 years of my life without even knowing about it. One day my friend asked if I wanted to go to it and I said sure, expecting it to be like the other canyons in the area, which are still gorgeous but not as large. Needless to say I was utterly blown away. Standing on the edge of the canyon with your legs dangling over the side of a 1200' drop is truly indescribable
How the heck I'd only heard of this place briefly before, and had never seen it until now kinda blows my mind, it's beautiful. You do a great job telling the tale man, and just getting better as time goes on.
Two friends and I hiked down below Morrow Point Dam, just upriver from the Black Canyon. It was towards the end of April. The slope was really steep and we had about 500’ of vertical to get to the river. We packed camping gear, some food, and a 3 man inflatable raft. The river is deep and pretty slow below the dam, so we thought there might be some nice fish down there. We all were using ultra light gear, and after a few casts, I hooked and boated(rafted🤓) a 27” Brown trout. Man, were we excited! Until we realized our raft was slowly filling with 40 degree water. There was very little bank to fish. Most of it was like a mini Black Canyon. We set up camp, had delicious trout for dinner, then woke up to 8-10” of snow. Yeah, that started an extremely challenging hike up, but we all agreed it was worth it. To me, worth enough to share it 46 years later! 🤠
I used to live on the North Rim, we'd drive through this a couple times a year. It's absolutely gorgeous and I loved seeing the rounded river stones near the top that used to be river beds during the Cretaceous.
Hiked down to the river in 1982, spent a night, then climbed back out. It was so steep that in one place there was a chain to hold onto as you went down and back up. Don’t remember if that area was sunless.
Yay! You did one on my park 😍 And what a superb presentation it is! It’s very hard to imagine all the geologic events and courses that occurred here over such a large span of time, so having the visuals and explanations together is great! Looks like you got a great shot of The Narrows. Did you do Long Draw?
Thanks for watching! I didn't actually visit the park for this story (I will someday!). The images and video were mostly sourced from the NPS directly. I'm always thankful to be able to use their footage because it means I can tell stories when I'm not able to travel and educate more people!
As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I knew this was going to be about Black Canyon. It’s beautiful country up there. Just, don’t have a crippling fear of heights or cliffs.
@@NationalParkDiaries Mesa Verde and Durango are also awesome, but I’d been to both before. I had to revisit Ouray though, which is the prettiest town I’ve ever seen
We visited the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in 2021. Did not venture down into the canyon but the views from the top were spectacular! (It was sunny that day)Another spectacular site-the Red Mountain Pass (Million dollar highway) from Montrose to Durango.
Well ya know - there are other national parks that have places that never get sunlight at all - Carlsbad Caverns, Mammoth Cave, and Wind Cave, to name a few.
@@NationalParkDiaries I found it better than the south rim. Theres less infrastructure so fewer crowds. But I spent less time on the south rim so I could just be biased.
Used to hike our boating gear down the mule trail back in the late 80s and 90s when I still had the fortitude, great river trip in the summer with all the shade, never thought about the reasons why
I lived in Crested Butte for quite a few years, and that’s where all this starts. (Well there and Taylor Park) Clear Creek flows into the Slate River, which then the East River joins, add Taylor River at Almont, and you have the Gunnison River. 😎
The road leading up to the top is no joke. Was pulling a heavy RV when I came. My brakes completely faded from overheat on the way down and had to run the stop sign exiting the park. My brakes were bright red when I stopped to look 😅
Very cool, excellent video and explanations! Just one small aspect that may help some viewers... recall that the land we see now, it was at one time much colder, and another time much wetter... as the plates move, so does the climate change. In the timespan mentioned in this video, this part of our North American continent has experienced ice ages (with significant water runoffs) and also much more tropical climates too when it was closer to the equator. So when looking at the river today, imagine it being much more volume at other periods, therefore able to remove all this rock material faster / easier. Boggles the mind somewhat to think about all that material being removed... and then redeposited elsewhere!
I once hiked from the north rim to the bottom of Black Canyon. Ate lunch next to the river. It was midday summer, so there was sunlight at the bottom while we were there. As for the route, (not a trail), I remember a lot of cat's claw.
I've been hearing a lot of people who have made the trip down into the Canyon and it seems like such an awesome experience. Definitely going to try and do it when I visit!
Lots of poison ivy, ticks and spiders down there!! Sheep, otter and bears as well. Sun exposure also depends on which direction the canyon is running, and time of year. Definitely lots of places with more than half hour of sunlight. Not much sun in the narrows though.
I have been to Black Canyon a couple of years ago when it was snowed over. I got to use snow shoes for the first time. Seeing the canyon in person and walking around the perimeter was incredible.
I bet that was quite the sight to see!
The wife and I went there in the winter of ‘23, it was under about a foot or so of snow. I’m from Texas and have never used snow shoes, this winter if it’s covered in snow again, I’m going to learn to use a pair. There is a certain tree I want to photograph in the snow.
I didn't hike down but i saw a cow that had wonderd into the park. So i sarcastically told my step brother this park has amazing wildlife which right on a cue a huge male Elk came out of the woods to shut me up.
Oh dang, that sounds amazing!
Cool
I saw bear when I was there!
Great video! Love the hard focus on the geology as it really gets across how special Black Canyon is. A rare combination of factors all had to come together to make it. Such a beautiful and unique place that you have to see in person to really appreciate! The supersized scale of the gneiss walls is unlike any place I have seen on earth, and gave me a newfound respect for the scale of metamophic processess that we are never able to observe with our own eyes.
Glad you liked it! There's always so many threads to pull at when I pick out a park story like this. It's sometimes hard to pick and choose what I actually want to include in the video! But, it always means I have the opportunity to come back and tell a different story from the same park and learn even more.
Fascinating video! Would love to know more about the adaptations of plants and vegetation down at the bottom of the canyon, given it only sees 30 minutes of sunlight each day. The ecology of the canyon would be so cool to hear about.
I agree! It's something I definitely thought about in production - might save it for a future video.
Agreed, I was also curious!
Was a Park Ranger there years ago. Out of all of the Parks that I worked at it was my favorite. Just an amazing place with amazing people. Did Geology Walks and Talks at Chasm View and in the VC. Talked about Pegmatite since Painted Wall is named after all of the igneous dikes. The Pegmatite there had such amazing minerals and gems like Garnets, Chlorite, smoky quartz, and more.
Thank you for helping to educate and inspire people about the Black Canyon, and for helping to protect our National Parks!
Beautiful place!
Any area’s better than others for Rockhounding?
And you worked from sun-up until sun-down.
I second that @nationalparkdiaries
Civil engineer, here. And a hydraulic engineer, too.
Love this video.
A small remark -- a gradient is same as a slope. Yes, the steeper the slope the faster water flows the more energy water imparts to obstacles.
Yet, gradient isn't same as power of a river.
River's power is THE CONSEQUENCE of its slope along with other variables.
Just a small remark that I'm sure won't take away from this very good presentation!
PS: If host would like to bounce off ideas from me my background is in hydraulics, hydrology, earth science, geology, and engineering.
What do you know about 14000 year+ old glacial lake bottoms?
@oleopathic hey me too! He can ask me also, but he has a good handle on it so I don't think he needs to...
@@meganstahlberger608 agreed. He had a good research team!
@uniseine I haven't seen soil profiles of those before but I would assume they are cavities formed as glaciers melted and retreated. Concave surfaces in soft soils and in hard rock.
I used to hike to a few here in the NE. They have high elevations and are ecologocally prestine with cold water ecology. These conditions are ideal for trout which are routinely stocked there!
@@uniseineWhat specifically are you interested in?
Been to the canyon twice, and there is just no way to comprehend the scale and steepness of it. One of the most unique nps sights. Loved the animations btw, been itching for a new vid these past few weeks!
Sorry to keep you waiting, but I'm glad it was worth the wait! Thanks for watching!
I visited the Canyon in 1968 and met the caretaker.
He lived a trailer home.
The view from the edge is amazing, but I didn't know about the sun issue.
kinda like the high rise area in New York City, eh?
Cheers,
Rik Spector
I think that's a great way to think about it!
If you want history, go to Mesa Verde. If you want photogenic scenery, go to Great Sand Dunes, if you like crowds, go to Rocky Mountain. But, this one you have to see in person as no pictures can capture it.
I like this!
And, when you reach the edge and first see it, your heart jumps into your throat and your heart pounds.
0:14 ... reminds me of a well marbled cut of beef 😋
Last year I drove cross country from NY to see The Grand Canyon and The Mighty Five in Utah for the first time. We also drove The Million Dollar Highway to Silverton and visited Black Canyon.
Of all the beautiful and amazing things we saw, Black Canyon was one of my absolute favorite places. Definitely in my top 3 favorite places of all time.
Thanks for the video!
Wow, that's high praise! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
I was at Black Canyon for the 4th time this year. I arrived during a snow storm, and nothing at the Visitor Center was visible. By the time we reached Painted Wall, it was completely clear... this will always be my favorite Natl. Park and place in the country. It's magical.
Glad to hear that and I'm glad it holds such a special place in your heart!
Great explanation! This beautiful canyon is our backyard. I never tire of the Black Canyon or the scenery and geology of the Western Slope of Colorado.
Thank you!
It was my backyard for 14 years, too. I loved it so much.
I grew up in Gunnison, just a stone's throw from Black Canyon. I've been down in Black Canyon more times than I can count. I was also part of the first (and last, and only) to run the Gunnison River from it's head at Almont, CO to it's confluence with the North Fork, near Hotchkiss. No one will ever do what we did again (which included paddling the entire length of the Black Canyon) since we did it before the dams were put in. It was a very different river back then with a heavy silt load which helped it carve through the solid rock. It being shaded in the bottom was actually kind of a blessing because it kept the glare off the water, and made it easier to see the lines through the rapids. I've seen videos of people running it since then, going over small waterfalls and portaging around jumbles of rock. The flow and volume were much higher before the dam was put in, and all of those waterfalls were washed out, and all of the rock jumbles had water flowing over them, though it was the route though was definitely stout.
I have lots of beautiful and amazing memories of Black Canyon going back long before it was a national park. Back then, it was just Black Canyon; a place full of mystery and surprises. It still is that, although now it is so under the protection of the National Park Service. It is one of the least visited National Parks, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. I've been to the Grand Canyon, and though it is bigger, if you ask me which I prefer, I'd say Black Canyon every time. I suppose one of the things I like better about Black Canyon is the solitude you find in many parts of it. In Grand Canyon there are people everywhere. But the solitude is a function of it not being visited as frequently. There are a lot of other things which Black Canyon has going for it including it's sheer verticality. If you are a person who is afraid of heights, this is one you'll want to stay away from. There are places where you can look over the edge and there isn't anything below you until the bottom. The Gunnison River looks like a tiny creek way down in there, but that's an illusion made by the fact that it is so far down there. It's also crazy that some of the sound of the river rushing over boulders far below actually makes it all the way up to the top. If you go to the west end of the canyon on the south rim, you can see Montrose, Delta, and eve Ouray off in the distance, and more mountains very distantly further to the west. You will often times find yourself looking out across clouds which are below in the valley. I remember one time when our family was picnicking on that western part of the south rim, watching a cloud bank approaching from the west. It got closer, and closer, then suddenly we were totally enveloped in it. It wasn't rainy, and since we were so high, we were nearly at the top of the cloud. We could see the sun through it from time to time as it thickened and thinned. Yet only a few yards away, in the parking lot, the cloud had risen high enough that it wasn't fog there. It was weird as we progressed from where we had our lunch toward the car. There were places where it was clear at head level, but the cloud was so low above us that you could literally but your hand in the cloud. We got into the car and drove back toward Gunnison, but before we had gone even a mile it began to sleet. We could see where it was sleeting before we got there, and we could look back and see that it was not sleeting behind us, and that the area of fog was still there. That canyon is magical, and it holds so much of that kind of magic, and so much to discover that you could live there full time for your entire life and never see the same scene twice. Looking from the south rim over to the north face of the canyon, you can see an area that looks like some mad artist took a brush of white paint, and made giant streaks and swaths all across the black canvas. Whether you are looking across from the south rim, or looking up at it from the river, it is a very striking sight to behold. The wildlife of the canyon is another delight, but I don't want to spoil it all for you. You will need to go there and see for yourself. I could go on forever about the canyon, as well as a number of other fun and interesting areas around Gunnison, but I've rambled on long enough. Suffice it to say that you should stay more than one night in Gunnison and just go exploring. Take the drive up Quartz Creek from Pitkin to see the sight where the Alpine Tunnel once crossed the Continental Divide. The road follows the old narrow gage railroad bed, and when the tunnel and railroad bed where carved out of the rocks it was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Also, drive over Ohio Pass over to old Irwin, a ghost town where the stumps of the trees still stand, ten feet above ground level. The settlers arrived there in the middle of winter when the snow was ten feet deep. They needed lumber, and so they cut the trees at the level of the snow. Little Irwin cemetery has some head stones and monuments of interest. Travel east over Ohio pass and you'll end up in the ski town of Crested Bute. But the visually most beautiful sight approaching Ohio Pass is looking out to the west across the valley to the Castles and then up further where scenic waterfalls plunge straight over cliffs to the valley floor below. It is a beautiful sight to behold, and you don't even have to get out of your car to see it (though doing so is highly advised). It's a wonderful area. Take the time to enjoy all of it, not just the National Park, which in and of itself takes a minimum of two days to fully take in. Leave plenty of time, relax, and enjoy the whole region.
Wow, I really appreciate these stories and your perspective. I love when my viewers teach me about something I never knew, or leave me with a perspective only a local would know. I loved reading your comment and reminiscing right along with you about the Black Canyon's stories. Thank you!
@@NationalParkDiaries Thank you for the video. I'm glad you got to spend time here, and I hope you'll get to come back someday, and think of what a time you had here. Thank you also for serving the nation in its national parks. I've never been to a park where the staff weren't top notch, and really interested in bringing knowledge of the parks to those who visit them.
One of the most underrated National Parks.
Fantastic video! Did you make those animations? Loved them!
I did not! I had them commissioned by a very talented animator named Alex. They turned out fantastic and I'm glad you liked them!
Loved the animations and the knowledge of a park I've only been to once, but want to return too. Something special for sure.
Glad you liked them! Hoping to incorporate them more in the future also
Thanks for making this video! I've been to this park twice now, and what the Grand Canyon has in breadth and scale the Black Canyon makes up for in sheer verticality and depth. Standing along the edge of the canyon is a vertigo-inducing, humbling experience.
Amazing how these places can all be so different and invoke such different feelings in us. Thanks for watching!
The Painted Wall is one of the most incredible sites in the NPS system!
No complaints there!
Your graphics are perfect! They illustrate exactly what you are explaining as you explain it. Thank you for sharing. This was incredibly interesting.
So glad you liked them! I worked with a really talented animator to bring those to life, and it's awesome to see how much people are enjoying them!
We were just at The Black Canyon of the Gunnison six days ago. Camping down in the canyon at the East Portal campgrounds. What an amazing place. Don't forget the Blue Ribbon Trout waters that the Gunnison also provides.
Great video! Quck correction Ive worked on the gunnison river for 10 years and it actually could get considerably higher than 12,000 cfs, the highest recorded water level was about 18,000 cfs and it actually reached 12,000 just a few years ago. But its theorized it could have gotten much much higher when the local climate was wetter. There is evidence that in the last thousand or so years high water was potentially up to 40,000 cfs! and it could have been much higher further back!
That was an awesome video!!! The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is on my bucket list now.
So glad you liked it and hope you make it out there one day!
Please do visit! I recommend going along the North Rim to the North Fork Valley which has Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia. Starting in June, Crawford has Pioneer Days, Paonia has Cherry Days around the 4th of July, then Hotchkiss has the county fair at the end of July, start of August so there's always something going on. There are so many beautiful spots, but even if you don't stop and just pass through, the view of the West Elk mountains on the eastern side the North Fork Valley are beautiful. Mount Lamborn, Lands End, Sleeping Indian, C Hill, Needlerock, Saddle Mountain, Castle Rock, and Cathedral Peak create a very distinct and unique horizon.
Plus, there's very, very little light pollution. The stars in the sky are so bright that you don't even need a flashlight during the new moon. During the full moon, it's almost bright enough to read by.
Past Hotchkiss is Delta. They still have a drive-in theater where they show a double feature for only $9 for adults, $2 for children, and have a gorgeous restored Egyptian Theater, of which there aren't a ton left. They hold Deltarado days near the end of July and the Council Tree Pow Wow is usually held in September.
On the way to Montrose, whose county fair is usually mid-July, nearby Olathe has some of the sweetest corn you could ever eat at the Sweet Corn Festival near the end of August.
Past Montrose to the south is Ouray, which is one of the towns who have hot springs, along with Glenwood Springs (where Doc Holliday is buried) to the northeast of Paonia and is on the West Elk Loop scenic Highway.
Sorry to sound like a travel brochure, I grew up there and it will always have a very special place in my heart.
I've just come across your channel. If all your videos are as good as this one, I'm a new fan! You gave a perfectly detailed, concise and easy to folllow explanation of how this canyon was formed. Some videos stop short with an unsatisfying half explanation. Yours covered it all just nicely without being too long winded!
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've got lots more National Park videos in the backlog to keep you entertained. Welcome to the community!
Fascinating video! Great animations. I’ve never been there, but I know I’d love to hike down into that spectacular canyon.
So glad you liked them - the response has been great! Thanks for watching!
A most excellent job explaining what we know about the Black Canyon. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Thanks so much!
I was there last year! We even got stuck in a cattle-jam on the way to the South rim which was interesting/hilarious/gross. The canyon is beautiful and it's amazing how LOUD the river is even from some of the overlooks.
Sound is a totally underrated experience in our National Parks. Thanks for pointing that out!
I camped at the North Rim of the canyon in May. Great place to camp and see the less visited side of Gunnison National park.
I love that I get so much travel advice from these comments lol. Thanks for watching!
Fall of 2023, incredibly deep, my wife was especially impressed with it's depth. One park visitor REFUSED to go near it, his wife had to ask strangers to take her picture.
I visited the Black Canyon in 2014, and it is so beautiful! The canyon walls have some of the most unusual, and visually striking geological patterns in them, almost like looking at some dark grey gemstone 🤩🤩🤩. I've lived out West my whole life, visited most of the national parks out here, and spend my free time being a desert rat, seeking obscure and isolated pieces of geological wonders, and the Black Canyon is one of the most wonderful I've seen!
There's a whole video's worth of stuff about the canyon walls and why they look the way they do! Very cool park indeed with so many overlapping stories!
The black and white pattern reminded me of Taroko Gorge, a National Park in Taiwan where the canyon walls are made of marble. It is one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen.
This is one of the most underrated channels on RUclips. Thank you for this high quality, insightful information on our beautiful National Parks!
Thank you so much! Nothing brings me more joy than helping people learn about these incredible places. I have an awesome audience and community who are interested in learning, which I will forever be grateful for.
Love the new animations
So glad to hear it!
Black Canyon was a great finish to our hiking trip last year that started with the Grand Canyon. The hike to the bottom and back up wasn't too hard, was a lot shorter than the Grand Canyon! and the views were amazing. Needles, Arches, Zion and other parks in the area are amazing to hike in. Too many people know about them though. They are all a lot busier than when I visited back in the 1992 - too busy IMHO. But then the parks are working ways to deal with the crowds - lotteries and whatnot to limit visitors. I love how Zion now has a shuttle system - no more cars backed up on the road.
Nice video Broseph. Explained it pretty well. Now I gotta go watch more of your videos!
Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy!
I took my middle kid with me on my first visit, Labor Day of 2020. We spent a few hours at the bottom fishing. It was definitely dark in the steeper sections.
Thanks for all the amazing videos and awesome content!!
Thanks for watching!
Another fantastic video! The animations were top notch - well done
Awesome! I've loved seeing the response to them - really glad people are liking them!
Visited the black canyon in August and did the Gunnison route to the bottom. Was an amazing experience doing the rock scramble. I did see the sun at the bottom, but that is one of the wider sections of the canyon. If you’re in shape, I would highly recommend the Gunnison route. I would recommend the Curecanti Creek trail at the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area even more - one of the best hikes I’ve ever done.
The park and surrounding area also has a fascinating history related to exploration and irrigation with the east portal. The Gunnison river is the main reason the region is capable of the agriculture it produces today.
Getting down into the Canyon is definitely on my bucket list when I go visit this one. Didn't know about the Curecanti hike, but it's on the list now too! I did read about the exploration and irrigation history when researching this one and agree - very fascinating indeed.
Very interesting video. I drove right by it once, not realizing how special it was. Now I wish I had known to check it out.
Well now you have the context if you ever go back! And even if you don't, I think it's still cool to learn about!
Heck yeah Black Canyon of the Gunnison!!
First time being featured on the channel!
Extremely well done! Keep up the incredible work, thank you for posting.
Thanks so much!
That sounds like a really good place to avoid when there is even the slightest risk of a Flash Flood.
If you are in "the Narrows" when a significant flash flood hits, you are done.
Definitely NOT going on a white water rafting trip down that one!
The animations were very illuminating.
There is absolutely no danger of a flash flood. The drainage area for the canyon is relatively small, and three dams (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal) control the water flow in the canyon. The biggest downside to kayaking the canyon is multiple strenuous portages through loose scree and poison ivy. If you want to raft the Gunnison, put in below the canyon at Chukar Trail (high-clearance 4wd required to get to the trailhead, and a decent hike down to the river).
Thanks bud. Great work. I feel like I understand this more now. And now … “I want to go to there.“ Liz Lemon
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Not me having a Black Canyon of the Gunnison poster on the wall right next to me...
But honestly this park is one of the most beautiful one's I've been to and this is coming from somebody who's been to about a dozen. I'd urge anybody going to colorado to give this park a visit, even if it means not going to rocky mountain NP. You can see mountains in so many different parts of the country but only in colorado can you see our incredible black canyon
Love that! Can't wait to visit one day!
Such a beautiful place! Top of canyon only.
Within the NP is the former townsite of East Portal. Hang a right after the entry booth and drive down to the river level (if your brakes are good). East Portal was so named because it is the east entrance of the Gunnison Tunnel, that carries water six miles west to the Uncompahgre River valley. Opened in 1909, the tunnel allowed the valley to be irrigated to grow food for the mining towns in the San Juan mountains.
I live in Montrose Colorado and one of the irrigation canals runs about 100 feet from my house. There is so much history in this part of the state - I'm so lucky to live here. Black Canyon is the first place I take visitors. My two favorite hikes in the park are Oak Flat Trail (not flat at all!) and Warner Point Trail. In the winter they close the road just past the visitor center and groom the snow for cross country skiing. Or you can snowshoe on Upland Trail. Best beer and pizza in Montrose is Colorado Boy Pizza.
One of the many reasons I love our National Parks - so much layered and unique history!
finally a good video about the Black canyon! I had the privledge to raft this whole stretch of river with a great group in 2021. I learned so much about that land, and caught some beautiful trout. I even slept in some historic places and caves! It is life changing. Anyone thinking about going must someday!
Thanks for watching!
I had no idea the Black Canyon is a national park. Especially because all the cool kids call RMNP just “the park”
And now you have a new fun fact!
I live about 30 mins from BCOTG Nat Park. I visit a few times a year. The river trails are quite a challenge but the best view is from the bottom. I saw a baby bear in a tree by the road this spring which was actually kind of scary, we never saw the Mom. Luckily, a Ranger was also there keeping an eye on the situation.
Doing a hike to the bottom is definitely on my bucket list for this park!
An amazing, very well crafted video. One of the best on the complex subject of Geology.
Thank you!
The animation really helped me understand what you were explaining!
So glad you liked it! The response has been fantastic!
Beautiful night sky out there as well.
Always look forward to your content ! I wish there were more!! Always very interesting!
Haha, I'm making them as fast as I can! Thanks for being here and supporting the videos when they do come out - it helps me keep making more!
Hello Good Folks.
Wonderful video. Thank You.
I visited the park in 2022 but stayed up on the rim and viewed the river from various overlooks. It rained and snowed and that added some drama to the views. Well worth visiting this wonderful public land.
FYI, the park is in western Colorado; not too far from Grand Junction.
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed your visit!
It's funny, I lived only 30 mins from the Black Canyon for the first 16 years of my life without even knowing about it. One day my friend asked if I wanted to go to it and I said sure, expecting it to be like the other canyons in the area, which are still gorgeous but not as large. Needless to say I was utterly blown away. Standing on the edge of the canyon with your legs dangling over the side of a 1200' drop is truly indescribable
How the heck I'd only heard of this place briefly before, and had never seen it until now kinda blows my mind, it's beautiful. You do a great job telling the tale man, and just getting better as time goes on.
Thanks so much, that means a lot!
@@NationalParkDiaries Much love man, kudos all the way. Stay awesome!
I visited exactly a year ago. I didn’t spend nearly enough time, what a phenomenal place it is.
It would be interesting to see if there are endemic plant species adapted to the very limited sunlight
Had a similar comment about this earlier and I agree! Potential future video!
Two friends and I hiked down below Morrow Point Dam, just upriver from the Black Canyon. It was towards the end of April. The slope was really steep and we had about 500’ of vertical to get to the river. We packed camping gear, some food, and a 3 man inflatable raft. The river is deep and pretty slow below the dam, so we thought there might be some nice fish down there. We all were using ultra light gear, and after a few casts, I hooked and boated(rafted🤓) a 27” Brown trout. Man, were we excited! Until we realized our raft was slowly filling with 40 degree water. There was very little bank to fish. Most of it was like a mini Black Canyon. We set up camp, had delicious trout for dinner, then woke up to 8-10” of snow. Yeah, that started an extremely challenging hike up, but we all agreed it was worth it. To me, worth enough to share it 46 years later! 🤠
What a trip! Very vivid description - thanks for sharing!
I used to live on the North Rim, we'd drive through this a couple times a year. It's absolutely gorgeous and I loved seeing the rounded river stones near the top that used to be river beds during the Cretaceous.
Very cool!
I live near there so I go all the time. So beautiful and peaceful! But be careful around the drop offs.
I'm planning to move to Montrose next year, what's your opinion on that town? Great thumbnail btw! :)
@@kingofthefoothills1863 it’s dry like a desert and relatively expensive but it’s home to me.
One of the rare occasions RUclips recommended something genuinely new and good, never heard of the Black Canyon before
Glad you liked it!
Hiked down to the river in 1982, spent a night, then climbed back out. It was so steep that in one place there was a chain to hold onto as you went down and back up. Don’t remember if that area was sunless.
I watched a couple videos of rock scrambles getting up and down the canyon. Definitely seems like an adventurous hike!
Very underrated and hidden National Park. Super cool and close to Mesa Verde, another overlooked beauty!
Can't wait to visit for myself!
I live in the Black Canyon - and I can confirm it's darkness 😎 I love it here.....the best slope is the West Slope!
Are you a vampire? Or park ranger? Or both?
Yay! You did one on my park 😍 And what a superb presentation it is! It’s very hard to imagine all the geologic events and courses that occurred here over such a large span of time, so having the visuals and explanations together is great! Looks like you got a great shot of The Narrows. Did you do Long Draw?
Thanks for watching! I didn't actually visit the park for this story (I will someday!). The images and video were mostly sourced from the NPS directly. I'm always thankful to be able to use their footage because it means I can tell stories when I'm not able to travel and educate more people!
@ Hope to see you all at the canyon someday! You’re going to love it.
As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I knew this was going to be about Black Canyon. It’s beautiful country up there. Just, don’t have a crippling fear of heights or cliffs.
Went to BC last year for Memorial Day, combined with Curecanti NRA and Colorado NM. Such an amazing part of colorado
Southwest Colorado is an area I always hear so much about - I need to make it a priority to get out there and explore one of these days.
@@NationalParkDiaries Mesa Verde and Durango are also awesome, but I’d been to both before. I had to revisit Ouray though, which is the prettiest town I’ve ever seen
We visited the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in 2021. Did not venture down into the canyon but the views from the top were spectacular! (It was sunny that day)Another spectacular site-the Red Mountain Pass (Million dollar highway) from Montrose to Durango.
Indistinguishable means identical or very similar
Well ya know - there are other national parks that have places that never get sunlight at all - Carlsbad Caverns, Mammoth Cave, and Wind Cave, to name a few.
The Black Canyon is in our neck of the woods. Visited numerous times and we have camped on both sides. It is awesome!
I loved the Black Canyon. Went to the north rim and hike to exclamation point. Such a beautiful view from there.
I hear the North Rim is fantastic!
@@NationalParkDiaries I found it better than the south rim. Theres less infrastructure so fewer crowds. But I spent less time on the south rim so I could just be biased.
Thank you for an informative and relaxing video. Subscribed!
Welcome to the community!
Used to hike our boating gear down the mule trail back in the late 80s and 90s when I still had the fortitude, great river trip in the summer with all the shade, never thought about the reasons why
Sounds like a great trip!
Gold information for my vampire family.
I help where I can
Cool video. Makes me look at other natural landmarks around me in a different light.
Thanks for watching!
I've driven the rim a few times going into Gunnison. Holy shit what a freaky drive that is. And what a cool geographic feature.
My family and I hiked down the Warner route. It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth and I’ll forever remember our trip there
I lived in Crested Butte for quite a few years, and that’s where all this starts. (Well there and Taylor Park) Clear Creek flows into the Slate River, which then the East River joins, add Taylor River at Almont, and you have the Gunnison River. 😎
One of my favorite parks. I hope to hike to the bottom next time we visit.
It's odd you didn't mention the difference between seasons for sunlight. Clearly that would change throughout the year
The road leading up to the top is no joke. Was pulling a heavy RV when I came. My brakes completely faded from overheat on the way down and had to run the stop sign exiting the park. My brakes were bright red when I stopped to look 😅
So this is the place everyone talks about when going "stick it where the sun doesn't shine"
Very interesting.
I learned quite a few interesting things.
Great job
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Very cool, excellent video and explanations! Just one small aspect that may help some viewers... recall that the land we see now, it was at one time much colder, and another time much wetter... as the plates move, so does the climate change. In the timespan mentioned in this video, this part of our North American continent has experienced ice ages (with significant water runoffs) and also much more tropical climates too when it was closer to the equator. So when looking at the river today, imagine it being much more volume at other periods, therefore able to remove all this rock material faster / easier. Boggles the mind somewhat to think about all that material being removed... and then redeposited elsewhere!
Thanks for watching!
Not far past the eastern rim entrance, is Ouray hot springs. Clothing optional and worth the visit.
Very clear and factual explanation, Ty
Thanks for watching!
That place looks absolutely amazing.
I once hiked from the north rim to the bottom of Black Canyon. Ate lunch next to the river. It was midday summer, so there was sunlight at the bottom while we were there. As for the route, (not a trail), I remember a lot of cat's claw.
I've been hearing a lot of people who have made the trip down into the Canyon and it seems like such an awesome experience. Definitely going to try and do it when I visit!
I can’t wait to go there!
Enjoy!
Title: "Never"
Video: "Well, sometimes. Just not very often"
Awesome explanation.
Thanks for watching!
There be Vampires there!
Lots of poison ivy, ticks and spiders down there!! Sheep, otter and bears as well. Sun exposure also depends on which direction the canyon is running, and time of year. Definitely lots of places with more than half hour of sunlight. Not much sun in the narrows though.
Now I know where to put "IT"!
So, technically it's not NEVER. You had me there.
Was just there 2.5 weeks ago! Unique NP😁
Very nice!
❤the animations!
So glad to hear it - I've really loved the response to them!
From this Canyon, we got our son's name.
Wow!!