Page 12 - Volume 15 Number 7

The Painted Wall in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is the highest cliff in Colorado, rising from riverbed
to peak, over 2,300 feet (or about twice the height of the Empire State Building).
outside the southwestern reaches of the park. GNB is a sleepy airport and its 5,000-foot, east-west runway is minimal considering the airport’s whopping 8,207- foot elevation. Yet, geographically speaking, it is well situated for exploring the “back side” of RMNP. While Granby has self-serve fuel (100LL and Jet A) and parking available, arranging ground transportation there would require special effort. Traffic into RMNP tends to be lighter from this direction and the long back-track via the Trail Ridge Road becomes unnecessary. Along the route from GNB, the Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake areas are technically just outside the park but offer many great opportunities for water-based activities at the park’s southwestern edges. Re-enter the park near the Kawuneeche Visitor Center and there are many trail heads and historic sites to choose from as you progress north.
10 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BCGNP)
If you’re looking for something dramatic, look no further than Colorado’s Black Canyon. Few canyons on earth can compete with its combination of steep and soaring canyon walls, narrow cross-section and spectacular overlooks. While BCGNP is relatively new as a national park (established in 1999), it has been part of the NPS for decades. It was designated a national monument in 1933 (and some current aeronautical charts still erroneously label it as such). Because it is a relatively small park (by western standards) it is perfect for short layovers, as it is near two popular and well developed western Colorado airports; Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional (GUC) and Montrose Regional (MTJ).
JULY 2021