Home > Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States national park located in western Colorado. There are two entrances to the park which is managed by the National Park Service. The more developed south rim entrance is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Montrose. The north rim entrance is located 11 miles (18 km) south of Crawford and is closed in the winter. The park is 47 mi² ( 122 km²) in size.

1 Geology

Black Canyon is a deep gorge which the Gunnison RiverThe Gunnison River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approxiamtely 180 mi (290 km) long, in the U. state of Colorado. It rises in west central Colorado, in eastern Gunnison County, formed by the confluence of Taylor and Slate rivers in the Almont, Cry flows through. It is so deep and narrow that little sunlight reaches the into it, making the walls look black.

In the canyon, the Gunnison River drops an average of 96 feet per mile (18 m/km). In one 2-mile (3 km) stretch it drops 480 feet (150 m). From the top of the canyon you can hear the river as it crashes through the canyon.

The canyon is composed of quartz monzoniteQuartz monzonite is a felsic igneous rock that has an approximately equal proportion of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars. The plagioclase is typically intermediate to sodic in composition, andesine to oligoclase. Quartz is present in significant amoun, a type of graniteGranite is a common and widely-occurring group of intrusive felsic igneous rocks that form at great depths and pressures under continents. Granite consists of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars, quartz, hornblende, biotite, muscovite and minor accessory.

2 Biology

Plants native to the park include: Aspen, Ponderosa pine, Sagebrush,

Some birds that live in the park are: Great Horned Owl (resident),

(migratory), American Dipper (resident).