Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
In just 48 miles in Black Canyon, the Gunnison River loses more elevation than the 1,500 mile Mississippi River does from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The power of vast falling enables the river to erode through tough rock. On average, the river drops 96 feet per mile in the National Park with the greatest drop being 480 feet in one 2 mile stretch. This has carved a very deep, narrow canyon. The gorge is 2,772 feet at one point. Very little sunshine reaches the bottom of the canyon and, therefore, it is named Black Canyon. The river first cut through soft volcanic rock cutting down to harder old crystallized rock of the dome shaped Gunnison uplift. The color in the almost vertical walls of the north rim made it look like an artist’s painting. Curecanti National Recreation Area is next tithe National Park. Three hydro electric dams are on the Gunnison River which are part of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in Colorado. The colors from the rock formations with the sun shining on them were breath taking. We viewed the canyon from the South Rim and also from a boat tour we took part way up the Gunnison River. We stayed in Montrose, CO which had a museum dedicated to the Ute Indian Tribe. Since we have been visiting Native American museums from Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, CA and CO, it is now tying the Native American people together who occupied the Southwestern part of this country.
In just 48 miles in Black Canyon, the Gunnison River loses more elevation than the 1,500 mile Mississippi River does from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The power of vast falling enables the river to erode through tough rock. On average, the river drops 96 feet per mile in the National Park with the greatest drop being 480 feet in one 2 mile stretch. This has carved a very deep, narrow canyon. The gorge is 2,772 feet at one point. Very little sunshine reaches the bottom of the canyon and, therefore, it is named Black Canyon. The river first cut through soft volcanic rock cutting down to harder old crystallized rock of the dome shaped Gunnison uplift. The color in the almost vertical walls of the north rim made it look like an artist’s painting. Curecanti National Recreation Area is next tithe National Park. Three hydro electric dams are on the Gunnison River which are part of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in Colorado. The colors from the rock formations with the sun shining on them were breath taking. We viewed the canyon from the South Rim and also from a boat tour we took part way up the Gunnison River. We stayed in Montrose, CO which had a museum dedicated to the Ute Indian Tribe. Since we have been visiting Native American museums from Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, CA and CO, it is now tying the Native American people together who occupied the Southwestern part of this country.
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