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Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park


Tommy_Boy

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Anybody been there? How's the road between Montrose, CO, and the park?

 

I'll be passing through the area in July, and thought it might make a nice side trip. I won't have a lot of time, but it doesn't look like it's a long way off Hwy 50.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Tom

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lawnchairboy

worth the trip, beautiful riding. I have only been through a handful of times but I'm sure some Colorado folks will chime in here.

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John Ranalletta

The north rim is the best riding and plan to have lunch at the Mad Dog in Crawford.

 

The south rim terminates in at the national park. It's a nice ride as well with better canyon vistas and overlooks IMO.

 

Here's a short video vid taken on the north rim.

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worth the trip, beautiful riding. I have only been through a handful of times but I'm sure some Colorado folks will chime in here.

 

What he said!

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The north rim is the best riding and plan to have lunch at the Mad Dog in Crawford.

 

The south rim terminates in at the national park. It's a nice ride as well with better canyon vistas and overlooks IMO.

 

Here's a short video vid taken on the north rim.

 

I heard that Joe Cocker's Mad Dog Cafe closed. There is now reported to be a cafe in that location called the Black Canyon Cafe.

 

We held the very first UN Rally in Gunnison, CO

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Black Canyon is gorgeous and well worth the trip, I ride through there at least once a year. The North rim road is all unpaved gravel and the South rim road is all paved. Personally I like the views better from the North rim with a lot less traffic but if you are coming from Montrose with limited time the South rim is much more convenient. The Mad Dog Ranch Fountain and Cafe which is owned by Joe Cocker has indeed been closed for years. Map; http://www.nps.gov/pwr/customcf/apps/maps/showmap.cfm?alphacode=blca&parkname=Black%20Canyon%20of%20the%20Gunnison%20National%20Park

North Rim pictures.

 

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John Ranalletta
I heard that Joe Cocker's Mad Dog Cafe closed. There is now reported to be a cafe in that location called the Black Canyon Cafe.
Correct...we ate lunch at the new place last July. Service and food were tops.
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Montrose to the south entrance is an ok ride.

 

From US-50 to Crawford or Hotchkiss on CO-92 is a spectacular ride, with top end scenery and twisties.

 

320143108_JQSfK-O.jpg

 

Panorama of view

 

There are also some views down into the park on CO-92.

 

 

If you can continue to Cedaredge, and up over Grand Mesa on CO-65 to I-70 you will find another stretch of great riding.

 

Personally, of all the parks in our area, going into the south entrance of BCotG was about my least favorite. I would rather ride CO-95 than spend time going into the park. But that is just me.

 

If I were going to spend time at a park in that area it would be Mesa Verde. I would also recommend Colorado National Monument above BC, or maybe going in to Marble (can't recall if that is paved... ).

 

 

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Spectacular views and twisties but as of 4 years ago, the road surface was kind of "patchy". Very much worth the trip.

 

Road surface is close to perfect now - if you are talking about the north rim. One of my all time favorites. Be careful for mud drug out on the road by horse trailers, etc.. in a few places.

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Spectacular views and twisties but as of 4 years ago, the road surface was kind of "patchy". Very much worth the trip.

 

Road surface is close to perfect now - if you are talking about the north rim. One of my all time favorites. Be careful for mud drug out on the road by horse trailers, etc.. in a few places.

 

Are we talking about CO-92?

 

Road was near perfect in 2009. Some light gravel in a few spots, but very nice new asphalt.

 

The actual road into the north rim of the park is shown on the park map as part dirt. I have never been in there. The South Rim is the major entrance.

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The South rim is all paved and the North rim road has never been paved in the 40 years I have been going there. This is a picture of the North rim road the end of September last year.

 

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Here is the Mad Dog Ranch Fountain and Cafe from a few years ago.

 

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We have our club rally in Hotchkiss the last weekend of September every year. That's one of the reasons I always hit Black Canyon at least once a year.

 

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Jack Herbst

 

The town of Gunnison is a great place to hang out or RON. Quint old historic town. Lots of retaurants,shopping etc. The ride from Montrose to Gunnison is in itself an interesting and fun ride.

 

Jack (born and raised in CO)

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I don't think I can add much more than Tewks' photos and comments by others except to suggest that you have your rain gear handy. Just about every day of the week and between 1 and 2 p.m. you can't count on a cloud burst. Sometimes it doesn't last long and sometimes it can get "interesting." By that I mean high winds and hail. Now, does that mean it'll happen to you? No, just a tip to make your trip more enjoyable.

 

Aside from that all I have to add is that it's nice to live within a few hour's ride of the Canyon!

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Ah, a person tours without rain gear? How silly. Just sayin'

 

It's a great ride, if not a long one to make a loop to both sides of the canyon. and don't forget that there can be sand and gravel on the roadway.

I liked the knife shop at the entrance of the visitor area. Had the most interesting fossils on sale.

The again, it's Colorado. How can you go wrong?

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Ah, a person tours without rain gear? How silly. Just sayin'

 

My friend, your question along with your sig line are fodder for a whole 'nother thread. That being said I can tell you that yes, during downpours I have come across riders out in the middle of no where sans rain protection. And yes, it's fun to point and laugh.

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No matter where you view it, well worth the trip. I could spend the whole day there watching the light change on the canyon walls. Watched birds ride thermal from river to top w/o flapping their wings even once.

 

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I have a lot of pics. Won't bore you with them all.

 

Go or regret it forever.

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Yeeha! Stephen

If you have an extra half day, the park service runs a barge down the river for tourists. Takes a couple of hours, but there's a 30-45min hike down to the bottom and back.

Beautiful!

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Spectacular views and twisties but as of 4 years ago, the road surface was kind of "patchy". Very much worth the trip.

 

Road surface is close to perfect now - if you are talking about the north rim. One of my all time favorites. Be careful for mud drug out on the road by horse trailers, etc.. in a few places.

 

Are we talking about CO-92?

 

Road was near perfect in 2009. Some light gravel in a few spots, but very nice new asphalt.

 

The actual road into the north rim of the park is shown on the park map as part dirt. I have never been in there. The South Rim is the major entrance.

 

Yes sir. CO-92 is the ticket.

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We own some rentals in Montrose (one of which is for sale, BTW), on the east side, on Hwy 50 about 5 miles from the southern entrance to BCNP. I get to CO once every year or two to check on the tenants and meet with the property manager. If I have time, I visit two places. The park and Blue Lake Mesa/Reservoir further up CO-50 (the latter being a modest draw in summer and spectacular against the white winter background).

 

When I first visited the park, I went in from the south entrance and it was impressive, but not overwhelming, as natural phenomena go. But over the years I've learned that there's so much more to the park than just those vistas. You've gotten some excellent advice from other posts. You'll find the park to be breathtaking from a geological standpoint, and beautiful visually.

 

As for the Mad Dog restaurant in Crawford, last time I was there (last Un in Gunnison), Sage Rider and I stopped in just as Pam (Joe Cocker's wife) was preparing their gift shop inventory for an auction to benefit a local children's charity they support. We knocked on the locked door and she kindly let us in. We chatted, bought some incredibly inexpensive T-shirts, made a donation to the charity, and were off. As far as I know, we were the last retail customers they ever had as the shop had already closed and the next morning everything was being trucked to the auction. The restaurant had actually closed some months earlier.

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Didn't take advantage of a perfect timing situation while passing through Hotchkiss last July. Mr Cocker was putting on a benefit concert that very night. Added that one to the list of regrets. :/

 

 

 

 

Pat

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