Getting ready forBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Open year-round, 24 hours a day, with the South Rim the only area open all year. The bathrooms on the South Rim are vault toilets, many places on the rim have no guardrails, and in winter the South Rim Road ends at the visitor center.
Know before you go. The park doesn't list sensory supports. Here's what it does say about the rim, the bathrooms, the altitude and winter.
Hours
Open year-round, 24 hours a day. South Rim Visitor Center: 9 am to 4 pm in winter hours (about the end of October to the end of April) and 8 am to 5 pm in summer hours; closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
South Rim, 9800 Highway 347, Montrose, CO (the park's GPS address), 7 miles north of U.S. Highway 50 east of Montrose
Between May and October, especially on busy holiday weekends, you may find long lines at the entrance station, and lots at popular trailheads and viewpoints can fill up.
In the summer months, water fill-up stations are at the campground and the visitor center.
Mid-November to late April
The South Rim Road is open to Gunnison Point at the visitor center; past it, the road is closed to vehicles but open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when conditions allow.
Water is not available.
Ranger-led snowshoe walks: 11:00 am, Saturdays and Sundays, from the South Rim Visitor Center, typically mid-January to late February or early March, depending on snow.
Stay close“Weathered rock makes rim edges hazardous, and many places have no guardrails.” “Supervise children closely.”
Stay close“Never throw anything from the rim into the canyon!” “Even a small stone can be fatal.”
Stay close“Trails on the South Rim have rocky, uneven surfaces, and some drop-offs.”
“All vault toilets are wheelchair accessible.” “There is no plumbed water or flush toilets at the south rim.”
“The canyon rim is 8,000 feet above sea level.” “If you hear thunder, it's time to leave.”
“Between May and October, particularly on busy holiday weekends, you may experience long lines at the entrance station.”
Tomichi Point is paved and right by the parking lot, so it can be the whole visit. Before anyone gets out, decide who stays at your kid's side at the rim.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
sensory hours
a quiet room
sensory kits or headphones to borrow
Call 970-641-2337More about Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Cashless: the entrance station takes no cash. A 7-day vehicle pass is $30, and children under 16 don't need a pass.
Vault toilets only on the South Rim, and all of them are wheelchair accessible.
There are no restaurants or lodges in the park; the visitor center bookstore sells some hiking snacks.
The canyon rim is 8,000 feet above sea level: drink plenty of water and slow down.
Thunderstorms are common in summer. If you hear thunder, it's time to leave.
Never throw anything from the rim into the canyon. There may be hikers or climbers below.
Cell reception is limited across the park, with no service in the canyon. Download the free NPS app before you arrive; its information and maps can be saved for offline use.
Junior Ranger books are available inside the visitor center.
