The number of comments I get from friends when I say I've visited countless national parks in the U.S. but still have yet to see the Grand Canyon seems almost endless. And while the planning of a future Arizona trip is is the works, I found a perfect way to calm my need to see an epic canyon by visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado instead. It may not be as big and it may not be as "grand," but boy is it gorgeous, and there are so many overlooks to find and different things to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Plus, you get some spine-chilling overlooks with sheer drops straight down to the Gunnison River below. 

We visited Black Canyon in late September, as the leaves started to turn for the season. Pairing it with a drive to Great Sand Dunes National Park the next day, we were able to cross off two amazing Colorado National Parks from our bucket list. Heading in from the east towards the South Rim Visitor Center (there is also a North Rim drive, but it's a bit more remote), we were greeted with a surprisingly scenic view on the way. About an hour outside of Black Canyon is the Curecanti National Recreation Area, home of the Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water in Colorado. Heading towards Black Canyon, you'll wind above the water's edge and cross over bridges above lakes so blue, they almost appear like a mirage in the drier Colorado landscape. Because of this, Curecanti is a prime location for recreational fishing and boating and is even the starting point of a boat tour into Black Canyon.

Get Your First View of the Canyon at Tomichi Point

The strange thing is that this is the last place I'd expect a canyon with vertical drops of 2000 feet. With so many patches of water, and at most a few hills and mini-mountains, it was hard to believe we were nearing the entrance of Black Canyon. Even as we turned off the main highway and drove down a side road towards the gate, all we passed were sleepy farmhouses and cows relaxing in the endless fields. And that's what makes your initial view of the Canyon and Tomichi Point, just past the Entrance Station, so astounding. This vast expanse of what looks like a literal crack in the earth appears out of nowhere and will have you shrieking "Pull over! Pull over!" maniacally, like I did, so that you can get up close at the viewpoint.

Black Canyon didn't receive its namesake for the color of the rock (although it is very dark in some spots), but instead because some parts of the inner Canyon only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day because of the narrow and steep canyon walls. Tomichi Point is your introduction to this deep Canyon, but only provides a taste of the vistas Black Canyon has to offer. Enjoy the view but know that it'll only get better from there.

Continue Along South Rim Road to the Pulpit Rock Hike and Overlook

As you continue your way through the park, you'll notice that there is one central, winding road along the South Rim (appropriately called the South Rim Road), with multiple stops and viewpoints along the way. Some of these overlooks are right off the asphalt, while others require a bit more of a trek. The Pulpit Rock Hike and Overlook was our first stop and gave us beautiful views of the Gunnison River as well as the different ecosystems across the two sides of the Canyon: one which is covered in trees and one which is empty rock face. I wouldn’t consider this much of a “hike”, more of a short leisurely stroll, but it’s still a good excuse to get out and stretch your legs.

Test Your Fear of Heights at Devils Lookout

With the ability to walk up to a guardrail and look directly below you, I found the views at Devil's Lookout to be by far the most dizzying. Hold onto your phone, camera, and sunglasses because any slip means those items are gone for good. This overlook is an easy 600-yard hike from the parking lot and will not only give you that view straight down to 1800 feet below you but may also allow you to see visitors on the North Rim across the Canyon. I quickly learned one of the most obvious things to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison is to discover if you have a fear of heights, because you’ll figure it out pretty quickly at these viewpoints.

Painted Wall and Chasm View

Painted View and Chasm View are two of the most popular viewpoints in the Park and are easily accessible from the same parking lot. This is also the spot where many daring hikers and rock climbers begin their day (or many days) of canyon adventures. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is unique in that most of the hikes are so strenuous, advanced, and time-intensive that they require planning and wilderness permits from the Park Service. This is because other than the few shorter marked trails on the top rims, most routes head downwards, following the inner Canyon's sheer vertical drops. These paths can't even be considered trails but are instead unmarked "scrambles” over rocks and boulders that eventually lead you to the river. If you want to tackle one of these hikes, the Gunnison Route is the most common, beginning at the South Rim Visitor Center. This may only be a 1.5 mile (one way) trek, but don't be fooled. You will descend 1800 feet in that time, which means the climb back up will be BRUTAL on your legs.

When it comes to rock climbing, this Park is a paradise, with the cliff at Painted View being the tallest vertical wall in Colorado. We saw a whole group of climbers prepping their gear for the day and putting our mini hikes to the viewpoints to shame. Because more people may be below you when you’re at each overlook than you realize, you'll see signs everywhere not to drop personal items or rocks. Even small stones can hurt a climber if they get hit or distracted.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Hiking on the Warner Point Trail

After checking out viewpoint after viewpoint, we knew we had to find at least one great trail (longer than 600 yards) to check off Black Canyon of the Gunnison hiking. Since we didn't have a wilderness permit or the guts (or backcountry smarts) to take on one of the canyon hikes, we decided to take the Warner Point Trail. Located at the end of the South Rim Road, the Warner Point Trail begins at High Point, which is the highest point in the Park at 8,289 feet (seriously guys, everything here is so appropriately named!). This 3 mile out and back route takes you up and down hills with views of the expansive green valley opposite the Canyon. It's a nice change of scenery from the sheer rock face that has been staring you down at every overlook previously. Eventually, you'll make you're way to the end of the trail (before you're forced to turn around), which leads you to a 270-degree panorama of the Canyon. It's almost as if you're standing at the edge of a peninsula overlooking a vast ocean...just made of rock, obviously. This is such an excellent stop, not just for photos but to sit and have a picnic to the sounds of nature, especially when you can't even distinguish if the whistling you hear is the wind or the roar of the river so far below you.

Overall we loved Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park because it wasn't overwhelming (except for when you stare into the canyon abyss). You can easily plan out what you want to see with the map, with no chance of getting lost or turned around because there is only one main road. We knew we wanted to hit enough overlooks to see all the different corners of the Canyon while still tackling a hike, and we were able to accomplish that in half a day. Not bad when we compare that to the ten hours we spent hiking only a small portion of Rocky Mountain National Park a few weeks previously. Plus, if you haven't been able to travel to the Grand Canyon (or just don't want to deal with the crowds), with so many different things to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, it’s a fantastic alternative!