Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the Gunnison River sculpted this canyon over two million years. The result is a vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.
East Portal Road, managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, will reopen on Saturday, September 19, 2026, by 8:00 a.m. The road was closed on September 14 following forecasts of significant rainfall in the region, which increased the risk of mudslides.
The National Park Service has selected Tobin Roop as superintendent of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area. Roop brings 24 years of National Park Service experience in leadership, resource management, park operations, partnerships and major project management.
Thanks to recent significant rainfall, the Stage 1 Fire Restriction Order for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area will be lifted effective Friday, September 18, 2026, at 12:01 a.m.
East Portal Road, managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, will open tomorrow September 4, 2026, by 8:00 am. It closed on July 16, 2026, after a significant mudslide. Crews have been working to clear roadways, culverts, drainages, and visitor use areas.