Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 30,300 acres (12,272 hectares), W central Colorado, in the Rocky Mts. The park embraces the most spectacular stretch of the 53-mi (85-km) long Black Canyon, which is named for the sheer, dark-colored walls carved by the unspoiled Gunnison Gunnison, river, 180 mi (290 km) long, rising in W central Colo. and flowing SW, W, and NW to the Colorado River at Grand Junction. It flows through magnificent canyons, notably the Black Canyon of the Gunnison , a national park. Gunnison Tunnel, c.
..... Click the link for more information. River. The narrow canyon is so deep (as much as 2,660 ft/811 m) that its bottom is in the shadows for most of the day. At the bottom, ancient Proterozoic rocks are exposed; wildlife in the park includes black bears, cougars, bobcats, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and swifts. The area was designated a national monument in 1933 and became a national park in 1999.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Park, western Colorado, U.S. Comprising a narrow, deep gorge of the Gunnison River, the preserve, established as a national monument in 1933 and elevated to a national park in 1999, occupies an area of 51 sq mi (133 sq km). The canyon derives its name from its black-stained, lichen-covered walls, which accentuate the gloom of the chasm.