Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park

The river that carved the ruggedly spectacular chasm preserved at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado, remains untamed for 26 miles. Sheer walls of primordial schist and gneiss soar 1,700 feet above river level at the 40-foot Narrows and 2,250 feet at Painted Wall. This book describes the process that helped create one of the most dramatic gorges in the United States and the efforts of local residents to preserve this breathtaking Colorado chasm as a national park.

Camping, wildlife viewing, hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountain biking, fly fishing--the recreational opportunities around Black Canyon are unsurpassed.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison River is one of the deepest, narrowest, and most inaccessible canyons in the United States. Very few explorers have ever traversed the 53-mile gorge in Gunnison and Montrose Counties. The canyon, one of the nation's wonders, has been the precipitous stage for an exciting history featuring Ute Indians, a narrow-gauge railroad, sensational explorations, and the construction of the Gunnison Tunnel--the first major Bureau of Reclamation project in history. The Black Canyon became a national monument in 1932 and a national park in 1999. Today it remains a crown jewel of Colorado's Western Slope.

On January 1 of 2016, Stefanie Payne, a creative professional working at NASA Headquarters, and Jonathan Irish, a photographer with National Geographic, left their lives in Washington, D.C. and hit the open road on an expedition to explore and document all 59 of America's national parks during the centennial celebration of the U.S. National Park Service - 59 parks in 52 weeks - the Greatest American Road Trip. Captured in more than 300,000 digital photographs, written stories, and videos shared by the national and international media, their project resulted in an incredible view of America's National Park System seen in its 100th year. 'A Year in the National Parks, The Greatest American Road Trip' is a gorgeous visual journey through our cherished public lands, detailing a rich tapestry of what makes each park special, as seen along an epic journey to visit them all within one special celebratory year.