If the Four Corners region has whetted your appetite for Colorado’s splendors, head to the elusive Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Here a narrow gash above the Gunnison River leads down a 2000ft-deep chasm that’s as eerie as it is spectacular. The 6-mile South Rim Rd has11 overlooks of the canyon, some reached via short trails up to 1.5 miles long (round trip).
No other canyon in America combines the narrow openings, sheer walls and dizzying depths of the Black Canyon, and a peek over the edge evokes a sense of awe (and vertigo) for most. To challenge your senses, cycle along the smooth pavement running parallel to the rim’s 2000ft drop-off. You definitely get a better feel for the place than if you’re trapped in a car.
