Established: October 21^st, 1999

Area: 30,780.76 acres

Visitors (2017): 307,143

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park protects a quarter of the Gunnison River, which slices sheer canyon walls from dark Precambrian-era rock. The canyon features some of the steepest cliffs and oldest rock in North America, and is a popular site for river rafting and rock climbing. The deep, narrow canyon is composed of gneiss and schist which appears black when in shadow.