Paddling in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Gunnison River through Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is one of the most committing whitewater runs in the American West — a deep, narrow slot canyon where the river drops at roughly 156 feet per mile through its steepest section, the walls close to nearly vertical, and the consequences of a mistake are severe.

This is not a park where you come to float. Rafting is not possible in the canyon. The paddling here belongs entirely to expert kayakers, and even then, the park is direct: the river has claimed the lives of experienced, respected paddlers.

The put-in is East Portal Campground, at the bottom of a steep road on the south side of the park. From there, the run to Chukar Trailhead covers roughly 14 miles of river with around 2 miles of portaging woven in.

One large mandatory portage in the middle of the canyon involves boulder-hopping, multiple ferries across the river, and poison ivy growing well overhead — plan for it, not around it.

Most groups treat this as an overnight; fit, experienced parties who know the run can push through in a day. The takeout at Chukar requires hiking about a mile up to the parking area, and the access road demands high-clearance vehicles.

Flow is everything here. The Gunnison below Crystal Dam is dam-controlled, which means it can run during shoulder seasons when other Colorado rivers are low or blown out — summer and fall are the primary window.

The USGS gauge for the Gunnison River below Gunnison Tunnel is the number to watch. At 750–950 cfs, hydraulics are minimal. By 1,200–1,500 cfs the river becomes pushy with major hydraulics.

Above 3,000 cfs, the park advises that kayaking should not be attempted even by experts — portages disappear and the risk of death is high.

Water temperature runs around 50°F or colder year-round; swimming is not recommended, and self-rescue in the canyon's hydraulics can be impossible. Before launching, kayakers must obtain a wilderness permit from the park.

Permits for kayakers are obtained on the day of the trip — check in at the visitor center or use the self-registration kiosk.

After the run exits the national park, paddlers enter the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness, managed by the Bureau of Land Management; boaters traveling through that section must register and pay Gorge user fees separately. Contact the BLM for current requirements.

The Black Canyon rewards the paddlers who belong there with something no other run in Colorado quite replicates: two thousand feet of dark granite rising straight from the water's edge, a river that disappears into sieves and siphons between massive boulders, and the particular silence of a place that doesn't get many visitors.

Earn it.