Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Hiking: A Trail-by-Trail Guide

If you're researching "black canyon of the gunnison national park hiking" before your trip, here's the short version: this is one of Colorado's most underrated hiking destinations, with trails ranging from ten-minute overlook strolls to permit-only descents into a canyon so narrow the walls close to forty feet apart at the river.

Most visitors stick to South Rim Drive and never leave the pavement. That's a mistake—a handful of short trails off the main road show off the canyon in ways the overlooks alone can't.

RIM TRAILS FOR EVERY FITNESS LEVEL:

The easiest hiking is right off South Rim Road. The Pulpit Rock Overlook Trail is barely 134 yards each way, while Cedar Point's self-guiding trail adds a bit more distance without much elevation change.

For something with a little more climb, Oak Flat Loop Trail runs about 1.5 to 2 miles and actually drops below the rim before climbing back—the park service rates it moderate to strenuous.

TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF THE SOUTH RIM:

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison Driving Tour covers all of these trailheads and the stories behind them as you drive South Rim Road at your own pace.

Along the way you'll learn:

• Why Rim Rock Trail still shows scars from the 2025 South Rim Fire

• The story behind the trail Reverend Mark Warner helped fight to protect

• What makes Warner Point, at the canyon's deepest point, worth the 0.8 mile walk

Most drivers finish the full route in two to three hours with stops.

Check out the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Driving Tour here.

WARNER POINT TRAIL: THE HIKE TO THE CANYON'S DEEPEST POINT:

If you only have time for one longer hike, make it Warner Point Trail. It's about 0.8 mile one way from High Point, and it ends at the canyon's single deepest spot: 2,722 feet from rim to river. The trail is named for Mark Warner, a Montrose minister whose advocacy helped lead to the canyon's 1933 protection as a national monument.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIKE:

Rim Rock Trail passes through terrain burned in the 2025 South Rim Fire—expect uneven ground and occasional ash underfoot. None of the rim trails have guardrails at the overlooks themselves, so keep kids and pets close.

And if you're hoping to hike down to the river, know that routes like the Tomichi, Gunnison, and Warner descents all require a wilderness permit—they're serious, unmaintained routes, not casual trails.

PLAN YOUR TRIP:

Want the full breakdown—where to eat, where to stay, and how to plan a one or two-day visit around Black Canyon of the Gunnison? Our Black Canyon travel guide covers all of it.

Check out our Black Canyon of the Gunnison travel guide to plan your trip.