Black Canyon of the Gunnison

A visit to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a must if you're ever in this part of Colorado. For years, we have hoped to see the magnificent scenery, and today we had our opportunity to visit the South Rim.

We had breakfast and coffee on the patio table outside the motorhome, looking across the pastures to the mountains beyond before we left for the Park.

The required photo at the park entrance:

I wish I could post all 166 photos from the day, but we'll start with the first stop at the Visitors Center:

Volcanic origins and the steep slope of the walls make the canyon black. Shadows conceal craggy abutments and narrow channels.

Canyon walls are interrupted by narrow rock ridges that were formed from a harder material that was infused into cracks and crevices millions of years ago. The surrounding softer rock eroded, leaving these "dikes" protruding into the canyon.

The dike just below the Visitor's Center is a wonderful example of this activity.

The view at The Chasm viewpoint:

And at Painted Rock, where different types of liquid rock filled cracks and crevices, and the Gunnison River is approximately 2,770 feet straight down!

Dams upstream collect water and provide electrical power, but when untamed, the Gunnison rushed through the gorge at 12,000 cubic feet per second, with a 2.75 million horsepower force, dramatically scouring the riverbed and eroding canyon walls. This view is looking straight down at the river.

The Gunnison River exits the 48 mile long canyon and meanders through the valley beyond, providing irrigation and drinking water for many agricultural towns.

This is the view from the picnic table where we ate our lunch and Sasha played on the rocks.














Fortunately for us, after lunch we spotted a group (passel? gob? nest?) of small worms merrily crawling around in a wispy web hidden in a bush.

This solitary tree guards Pulpit Rock:

Having completed our tour of the South Rim early in the afternoon, we headed east for a bit on Hwy 50 to take a look at the Crystal Reservoir. I only wish that California Lakes were this full!

When we returned to the motorhome this evening, Sasha and I went for a walk. On the way we were invited to visit our friends from West Monroe, LA, Duck Dynasty Country and their Boston Terrier. You may remember that he weighed 40 pounds when we saw him last night. Well, I failed to get his name then, so I called him Big Boy.  His name? Lil' Bit! LOL! Sasha made a shambles of their motorhome, but they were very gracious and we all left with a few more Boston stories to tell!
After dinner, Mike and Becky brought dessert and Lil' Bit and visited with us for awhile. They are a super couple, very nice, and we're sad that they are leaving tomorrow. Hopefully our paths will cross again one day!

And, of course, Sasha was being her normal 90 mph self!

Till later.