Most visitors to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park visit the south rim, but the north rim is definitely worth a visit. Getting to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison north rim takes a little more time, but that helps to drive down crowds. While I didn’t experience huge, unmanageable amounts of tourists at the south rim, there were enough to make the north rim feel deserted.
But don’t just visit to try to avoid other tourists. Yes the north rim quieter than the south rim, but there’s also some great things to do. You’ll find some great hikes, and the north rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison is home to one of, if not the best, view point in the entire park.
Things to Do on the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The two biggest attractions are hiking and visiting more view points on the scenic drive. Depending on how far you want to hike, this can easily be done in a few hours.
Exclamation Point – The Best View Point of Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Without a doubt, this view point gets my vote for the best view on either rim. Unfortunately for me though, there was a little bit of haze, so my pictures didn’t come out exactly the way I wanted. Even with the haze, it was still an epic view.
To get to this view point, you’ll have a 1.5 mile hike to get to Exclamation Point, making for about a three mile hike round trip. The NPS lists this hike as moderate. I would say it was easy to moderate. The only difficult thing for me being the elevation, since this hike starts at 7,700 feet of elevation.
I hiked early in the morning since it was predicted to be another 90 degree day. I had the trail almost entirely to myself. While at I was enjoying the views at Exclamation Point, two girls showed up, took pictures, and continued on the trail almost immediately. I passed one other couple on my way back.
During my hike, I logged 2.9 miles and 367 feet of elevation change over an hour. Note that this time doesn’t include stops, especially since I met a couple and we stood talking on the trail for nearly a half hour.
If you are up for it, you can continue hiking. Exclamation Point is just the first view point of the North Vista Trail. This trail is 7 miles round trip and the NPS rates it at strenuous.
Viewpoints Along the North Rim’s Scenic Drive
There are fewer viewpoints on the north rim as compared to the south rim. The scenic drive on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison north rim is shorter than that on the south rim, so that makes sense. If you’ve already driven as far as the north rim to do Exclamation Point, it seems a shame not to visit the rest of the viewpoints on this side of the canyon.
Chasm View Point
There is a Chasm View Point on the south rim as well. Both viewpoints are located at roughly the same area of the canyon. So if you already visited the south rim, you get to see it from a slightly different perspective.
It’s a 0.3 mile round trip hike to get to two view points and this trail can be done in either direction. In my opinion, the southern view point was better, but there were two people hanging out at the first view point since that’s what they enjoyed. Since it’s such a short trail, you might as well just do both and make up your own mind.
The Narrows View
You can also see The Narrows from the south rim. While the view is great, I found it easier to recognize the narrows on the south rim.
Balanced Rock
It seems that every park seems to have a balanced rock. I’ll be honest, after about the fifth balanced rock, I’m kinda over them. But it’s right along the drive, so it’s easy to pop in for a quick peek.
Big Island View
This wasn’t my favorite view, but again, you can make this a quick stop. It was at this point that I started to wonder if all of the view points were just blurring together for me. This thought made me happy that I was taking just a few notes at each viewpoint so I could help myself differentiate them later.
Island Peaks View
The path to the main look out is fine, but once you get out to the view point, continue to the left. These were some of my favorite view points from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison north rim. They felt a bit more unique, which was fabulous because there’s only so many different ways you can look at the same canyon. In my journal, I noted that these views rivaled Exclamation Point (although I still think Exclamation Point may be the best).
Kneeling Camel
This was my last view point and I went here after the Island Peaks View. It was ok, but it does look like a kneeling camel. Now months later, this view point sticks in my head the most and I have no explanation as to why that is.
Getting to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison North Rim
I used Google Maps to navigate here from the city of Montrose. If you’re doing the same, look for the “North Rim Ranger Station” While this was not difficult, I definitely had a few moments as I was driving where I was questioning if I was really heading in the right direction.
The biggest tip I have is to review your route before you go. While planning my trip to get estimates for driving times, there were several instances where I put in “north rim black canyon of the gunnison” into Google Maps and it actually took me to the south rim.
From the city of Montrose, it takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to drive to the ranger station at the north rim. As you drive, you’ll really get off the beaten path and will drive on some incredibly rural roads, but you will eventually get there.
Entrance Fee to Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The fee to enter the north rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison is the same as entering the south rim. It costs $30 for a 7 day pass, but is also included with the yearly $80 America the Beautiful Pass. There is no entrance station and no one is stationed to collect your money. If you don’t already have a pass, there is a box at the ranger station for you to deposit your payment (note that no change will be given).
When To Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The North Rim Road is not plowed in winter, which will make visits incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Plan to visit in the summer or early fall. I visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s north and south rims in the first weekend of September and while it was very hot, I had a great time.
How Long Do You Need at the North Rim
I hiked to Exclamation Point (including my stop for a half hour chat), and visited all of the view points on the North Rim Road. My visit took my about three hours and I never felt rushed.
Can You Do Both Rims in One Day
There’s nothing stopping you from doing this, but it will be a very busy day. I think your time is best spent giving one full day to the south rim and then doing the north rim the next day (or vice versa, depending on which direction you are heading).
This is what my trip looked like, which I think had great timing:
Day 1 – Arrive in Montrose. Sleep in Montrose.
Day 2 – Explore South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Sleep in Montrose.
Day 3 – Explore North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Continue on toward Aspen/Vail.
If you are determined to do both in one day, I’d recommend getting an early start and doing something like:
Day 1 – Arrive in Montrose. Sleep in Montrose.
Day 2 – Explore South Rim of Black Canyon. Drive to North Rim. Explore North Rim. Sleep in Crawford.
What to Bring
Besides your entrance fee, make sure you bring anything you may need as there aren’t any services at the North Rim. Pack plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks.
Final Thoughts
The north rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison has less to do than the south rim. However, there’s still some epic views and for me, that alone is worth the visit.
Continue Your Adventure
Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Continue your visit by heading to Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s South Rim.
Colorado National Parks: Colorado is home to four national parks. Along with Black Canyon of the Gunnison, you’ll also find Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Rocky Mountain National Parks.
Colorado Itineraries: For an epic road trip through Colorado, check out this 10 day itinerary. Or if you don’t have ten days, try one of these 5 day Colorado itineraries.
Scenic Drives: Colorado is full of beautiful drives, but here’s some of my favorites.
For More Epic Canyons: If you want to see more spectacular canyons, consider Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, or New River Gorge National Park.