Dramatic Cliff Views At This Underrated Colorado National Park Will Leave You Breathless

When imagining a canyon, many national park visitors would likely picture a wide expanse of land stretching out below them, like the famous view from the top of the Grand Canyon. That's not what you can expect when you visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado. This surreal canyon is deep and narrow, like a thin, jagged slice carved out of the cliff by the Gunnison River, roaring almost 3,000 feet below. It gets its name, Black Canyon, not from the color of the ancient rock that makes up its walls, but from the deep, dark shadows that often fill the canyon.

As staggering as this place is, it is a little-known national park, so compared with some of the natural wonders in other parks around the United States, few ever get to experience it. In fact, this is among the least visited of America's national parks. Those who do visit, however, can spend hours hiking, scaling cliffs to dizzying heights,  and taking in a breathtaking view like no other from the top of the canyon's sheer walls.

Standing at the top of Black Canyon is a thrilling experience, but unless you want to spend your entire trip looking into the canyon from whatever position you reach first, you're probably going to want to explore. You will likely visit the South Rim first since it has a visitor center. But the North Rim also provides incredible views and is even more rarely visited, so you will certainly have a more private experience of the canyon. If you're able to get there before dawn, sunrise is known to be particularly beautiful from the North Rim.

There are plenty of U.S. National Park trails that are only for experienced hikers, and Colorado is especially well known for dangerous hikes like Capitol Peak, but no matter what your fitness level, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the views here. There are many hiking trails to enjoy, like the short Chasm View Nature Trail that ends with stellar views or Oak Flat Loop Trail that takes you down a steep curved, wooded path into the canyon itself. If you're not looking to work up a sweat, you can still visit many of the canyon's best overlooks by driving South Rim Drive Road. There's no need to put on your hiking boots for this drive. Some of these overlooks, like the beautiful Tomichi Point, are extremely close to where you'll pull your car in.

If you're not from Colorado and you're flying in to see this incredible canyon, your best bet is probably to come in at Montrose Regional Airport. Unless you have an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass to access for free, you'll need to pay the entrance fee —  either $15 to walk in or $30 to drive in. You can certainly stay in the nearby town of Montrose, Colorado, but if you're looking to get closer to the natural world while visiting the canyon, there are campgrounds that you can choose from. Both South Rim and North Rim campgrounds have campsites that only cost $20 per night.

Most people plan their visit to Black Canyon in the warm summer months, but if you're looking for even more privacy at this already pretty private park, you might want to go in autumn. It may be a little chilly, but it's also the time when the Black Canyon Astronomy Festival takes place. Not only will you be able to see unparalleled views of the night sky, you can learn more about the stars from the experts.