Montrose, Colo. – Two roads at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park that were closed in winter were expected to open for the season this morning, Friday, April 12, 2024.
The six-mile section of the South Rim Road between the South Rim Visitor Center and the road’s end at High Point will open to vehicles, providing access to many canyon overlooks and picnic areas. Drivers should be prepared for lingering snow and mud on some trails and overlooks.
East Portal Road, managed and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation, will also open to public traffic. Leading into the depths of Black Canyon and the historic East Portal district of Curecanti National Recreation Area, this road is extremely steep and winding. Vehicles longer than 22 feet (6.7 m), including trailers, are prohibited on East Portal Road due to the 16% grade and hairpin curves. Use low gear and conserve brakes on the six-mile descent.
Major road construction projects continue at Black Canyon throughout 2024. Please use extreme caution and patience while traveling on park roadways, especially during construction. Plan extra time for visiting the park during the roadwork. Road crews will work Monday through Friday in daylight hours with alternating one-way traffic. Expect delays up to 30 minutes and greatly-reduced parking.
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Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 This sort of information is valuable and helpful. Although I have no plans to be anywhere near this area, some (many?) might and will benefit from knowing ahead of time what they likely will encounter. Thank you for providing this information! 🙂 Safe travels! 🙂