Home > Facts > National Parks Facts > Black Canyon of the Gunnison Facts

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Facts

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Facts
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a 30,750 acre park located in western Colorado in the United States. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans the Ute Indians were familiar with Black Canyon, referring to it as 'much rocks, big water'. In 1853 the first record of the canyon was recorded by Captain John Williams Gunnison, for whom the park is named after. Railroads and travel routes were built through the region. In 1933 the Black Canyon of the Gunnison national monument was established. It wasn't until 1999 that it was re-established as Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Interesting Black Canyon of the Gunnison Facts:
The carving of Black Canyon, by the water of Gunnison River, began millions of years ago.
Black Canyon has some of the oldest Precambrian rock exposed in the world in its walls.
It is called Black Canyon of the Gunnison because of the appearance of black walls of the canyon and because of the last name of the first person to document seeing the canyon - Captain John Williams Gunnison.
The Gunnison River in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park drops at one of the fastest rates of any river in North America.
Plants that can be found growing in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park include pinyon pine, juniper, Gambel oak, wildflowers, berry bushes, chokecherry, boxelder, narrowleaf cottonwoods, and poison ivy.
Lizards such as tree lizards, sagebrush lizards, and greater short-horned lizards can be found in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Snakes in the park include whip snakes, garter snakes, milk snakes, and gopher snakes.
Birds that can be found within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park include the peregrine falcon, the golden eagle, American dipper, magpie, white-throated swift, canyon wren, mountain bluebird, hawks, and Steller's Jay. There are also six owl species found in the park.
Animals that can be found living in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park include the river otter, mule deer, cougars, raccoons, muskrats, bobcats, beavers, pronghorns, black bears, coyotes, and mountain lions.
Prairie dogs, porcupines, chipmunks, and marmots can be found living in Black Canyon as well.
Some of the walls of Black Canyon reach 2,700 feet above the Gunnison River.
The rim of Black Canyon sits at 8,000 feet above sea level.
Gunnison Rover is so deep that in some places it is actually deeper than it is wide at half a mile.
Within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is the Painted Wall - Colorado's highest cliff at 2,250 feet. The Empire State Building is 1000 feet shorter than the Painted Wall.
Visitors to the national park can enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, expert only kayaking, rock climbing, site seeing and wildlife viewing, skiing, snowshoeing, and driving through the park.
There are many potholes in the rock that naturally store water when it rains which is then used by animals and other life in the park to survive.
It is estimated that approximately 250,000 people visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park each year.


Related Links:
Facts
National Parks Facts
Animals Facts
Colorado Facts