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Black Canyon of the Gunnison 2023
Overview
Black Canyon, Campground and Trail Conditions
Approximate snow depth is 24". The South Rim Ski Trail is open for skiing. The trail is being groomed today after new snow of approx. 7.5". A double classic track runs to Pulpit Rock, and a single classic track continues to High Point. A skate lane runs the entire way, and there is plenty of room for snowshoers on the south side of the trail.
Grooming can only happen after a fresh snow, so we appreciate everyone’s help in using the lane that matches your chosen activity to keep it in good shape. Uplands and Rim Rock Trails are snow covered. Extra traction or snowshoes recommended. Oak Flat Loop is snow covered. The recommended hiking / snowshoeing direction is clockwise. This allows hikers to travel down more gradually and back up the steepest and slickest section. Extra traction or snowshoes recommended.
I arrived this week at Black Canyon of the Gunnison and was pretty amazed at the amount of snow had fallen. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park advertises that their Loop B in their campground is open and this year they decided to leave the electricity on. Well let me tell you, if you plan to camp at Black Canyon of the Gunnison during the winter, be prepared to either pound down snow to pack it, bring a snow shovel to take down a few inches or feet of snow.
The above is one of the RV backend sites and as you can see, while the Park Service does plow the road, all that does is build up these snow so you'd need to clear it to even back in your rig, and in the back you will have to even search for the fire pit, so come prepared. Despite this I decided to come anyhow.
When I arrived the original site I wanted to try and grab was B19 (above), I wanted to set my Alaknak 12x12 off to the right of the picnic table, to give it some privacy from the road, but that would have meant clearing the log driveway and then the camp pad. So I drove the loop again and came up on B9.
B9 was just as bad but the backend pad was smaller so I was able to clear that pad to fit both the spot to park the car and then the tent. And since I brought my own cylindar stove, I didn't need the fire ring.
One other thing I should mention, Altitude! The altitude for B9 is 8384 ft above sea level, so make sure you hydrate as you will be getting a great cardio workout, and eat!
I ended up spending a good protion of the first day with camp preperation, since according to the National Weather Service later in the day we were due to get another snow storm system that would put an additional 8" of snow on the ground overnight.
I actually wished I had thought about how far back I was placing the snow pile behind the tent, but after clearing that snow I felt that I was losing some daily and time and needed to get thing going inside to be prepared for the coming weather system. So when setting up my Alaknak tent the stakes at the back of the tent, I was not able to extend them out far enough to make the tent tight and this came back to bite me a little three consecutive evenings with snow fall. I spent more time than I wanted clearing snow, ice and in places near the cylindar stove water from building.
Some of you may be asking what someone does at night when you are solo camping in a National Park and you literally are the only non-park staff actually in the park overnight. I read, write and sometimes I go outside and look for tracks, there were numerous elk that were running the deep snow along the treelines at least that what all the elk tracks would suggest. In fact my picnic table seemed to have become a den for a rabbit because I went back there and there were a lot of rabbit tracks underneath the table as it had a bit of a den like feel to it.
I can confirm that Sasquatch is still unaccounted for and he/she remains the reigning hide and seek champion. I looked and did not see a single sign of Sasquatch activity at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. My wife made sure this past christmas to make sure I knew what I was supposed to be looking for.
I do take notes on these trips, do's and don'ts and any tidbits I glean from the extremely awesome National Park staff. The staff at our nations National Parks are a wealth of great information, tips and really appreciate when visitors contact them about their upcoming visits, doing a little research yourself to get to know the park tha you are about to visit, helps you and it helps them help you make your visit and experience an awesome one.
I personally want to thank Jeremy Stringfield who is a park guide at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Jeremy gave me valuable tips about what to expect prior to my arrival, he also went the extra mile and sent me photos of Loop B and B19; however from the time he did that, and the time I arrived mother nature decided she needed to drop a few more feet of snow before my arrival.
I have a sticker on my Subaru Crosstrek "Hoth National Park"; Hoth being the planet the movie Empire Strikes Back starts at and I will admit the amount of snow did remind me that I quite possibly be on Hoth.
I actually love this photo, because of how camoflaged my actual tent is, other than immediately seeing my Subaru you wouldn't notice the tent until you were right up on it because of the ground coverage and snow.
The Black Canyon, as a geographic feature, begins in the Curecanti National Recreation Area and continues downstream through the National Park and finally into the Gunnison Gorge Conservation area. The hikes off highway 92 (within Curecanti National Recreation Area) are along the Black Canyon. Trails in Black Canyon offer diverse habitats, sweeping vistas of the sheer canyon walls, and a variety of wildlife and wildflowers. Many of the trails pass by the cliff edges. Visitors should use caution and never throw rocks into the canyon. Even small pebbles can be deadly to hikers and climbers below. The Canyon rims are around 8,000 feet in elevation. Bring plenty of water and sun protection for your hike, even in winter.
During the winter months, Oak Flat Loop, Rim Rock Trail and Uplands Trails are open.
Trailhead | Roundtrip (mi /km) | Permitted (animals) | Description |
Uplands Trail | 2 mi / 3km | No animals permitted | Moderate: A nice stroll through the oak |
Rim Rock Trail | 2 mi / 3km | Animals permitted | Moderate: A relatively level trail that takes you along the rim of the canyon |
Oak Flat Loop | 2 mi / 3km | No animals permitted | Difficult: Short but steep, dropping 400 feet through aspen and Douglas-fir, with great canyon views. |
Winter is a great time to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Covered in snow, the canyon seems even more dramatic and sheer. The park road is plowed up until the visitor center, and there is no entrance fee in the winter. The rest of the park road is groomed for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Snowshoes are also available to borrow in the visitor center. Just ask for them at the front desk and make sure you have them back before closing time! Also, the park rangers will be happy to give you suggestions on where to go snowshoeing.
Most people during the day who were at the park were cross country skiing, meaning that I was the only ones on the Oak Flat Trail, and the only ones at the Tomichi Point overlook. If you wish to snowshoe on the road, just make sure not to walk on the cross country tracks. You also can explore off of the park road as long as you stay off of the vegetation. This gives you solitude and unique views of the Black Canyon that can't be experienced in any other season.
It is a great experience, and best enjoyed after a good snowfall! There was even hot chocolate available in the visitor center for 50 cents, which was great to help warm us up after a cold day of snowshoeing. The visitor's center closes at 4, so if you borrow snowshoes from the park, make sure to get them back before then. By snowshoeing in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, you will experience an inexpensive and unique visit to this National Park.
Rick Walker - Trekvagabond
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