If I asked you to name the most iconic canyon in the country, what would you say? Let me guess… the Grand Canyon, right? (That was the first answer that came to my mind, too!) What if I told you that Colorado has an incredible canyon of its own that is even more majestic and jaw-dropping than the Grand Canyon? Are you intrigued? Then read on as we explore this Colorado canyon that is — dare we say — even BETTER than Arizona’s:

Located in southwest Colorado near the town of Montrose lies the incredible Black Canyon of the Gunnison; an amazing 48-mile-long ravine that houses the beautiful Gunnison River.
Wikimedia Commons
Originally discovered by Ute Indians who referred to it as "much rocks, big water" (and then avoided it out of superstition), the Black Canyon of the Gunnison houses some of the "steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America"...
Flickr/Tony Fernandez
...unique hiking opportunities (via one of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park's seven designated trails)...
Flickr/David Fulmer
...and, of course, camping with a view.
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What makes the Black Canyon even BETTER than the iconic Grand Canyon? In the words of author Duane Vandenbusche (in his book "Images of America: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison"), "Several canyons of the American West are longer and some are deeper, but none combines the depth, sheerness, narrowness, darkness, and dread of the Black Canyon."
Flickr/Photo Kent
Why the dark and morbid sounding name? The river drops an average 34 feet per mile throughout the entire Black Canyon, in-turn making it the 5th steepest mountain descent in the country.
Wikimedia Commons
(To put that into perspective, the Colorado River only drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile throughout the Grand Canyon.)
Flickr/Paul
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park's South Rim Visitor Center is located at 9800 Highway 347 in Montrose and is open 24 hours a day year round.
Wikimedia Commons
For more information, please visit the National Park Service's website.

For another Colorado hidden gem that you will want to visit, click on You Haven’t Lived Until You’ve Experienced This One Incredible Park In Colorado.

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