Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park is a National Park in Colorado. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 10 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison
We matched 10 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Black Canyon Of The Gunnison. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (6)
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointMountain Passes (1)
Botanical Gardens (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
State Parks (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Black Canyon Of The Gunnison the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 243° | 9h 46m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 255° | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 295° | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 301° | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 299° | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 289° | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 260° | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 247° | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 241° | 9h 29m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.5778, -107.7243); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.7 | 23° |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Today's Weather: http://www.weather.com/weather/today/l/NPBLCA:13:US CLIMATE Weather can vary greatly throughout the day. Summer daytime temperatures range between 55 to 90F (13 to 32C), nights 45 to 60F (7 to 16C). Winter daytime temperatures range between 15 to 40F (-9 to 4C), nights 10 to 20F (-12 to -6C). Afternoon thunderstorms are common during the summer. Snow accumulation varies greatly year to year. Layered clothing appropriate for the season is recommended.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
South Rim: 7 miles north on CO Highway 347 from the intersection with U.S. Highway 50 east of Montrose. Physical/GPS address is: 9800 Highway 347, Montrose, CO 81401 North Rim: 11 miles southwest of Crawford, Colorado. From CO Highway 92, turn west on Black Canyon Road approximately 3 miles south of Crawford. Follow the road signs to the park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- RV Camping
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Paddling
- Kayaking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
Nearby parks
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CO/UT