A Dog-Friendly Trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
A dog-friendly day at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, including a scenic drive, Rock Point Overlook, Cedar Point Nature Trail, and East Portal Road.
In May 2025, we took a road trip from Morrison to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to celebrate our anniversary. Of course, we took the dogs with us.
On the drive out, we stopped in Palisade, Colorado, on our way to Delta, Colorado. We stayed in Delta for the night and went to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park the next morning.
Is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Dog-Friendly?
Yes, for a national park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is pretty dog-friendly!
Where Are Dogs Allowed?
- Some trails, such as the Cedar Point Nature Trail
- Paths to the overlooks, for example, the path to Rock Point Overlook
- Scenic drives, like Rim Drive Road and East Portal Road (in the car)
Where Aren't Dogs Allowed?
- Most trails, including those that go into the canyon
- Inside buildings, like the visitor center
The short trails, overlooks, and scenic drives gave us plenty to do for a day trip. Also, Maya had pulled a muscle during our visit to the Montrose Dog Park, so we were taking it easy.
Getting There
We came in through the main entrance (at the South Rim). We weren't concerned about crowds, even though it was Memorial Day weekend. We took our time getting up and driving over from Delta (about an hour away), so we got to the park around 11 AM.
We had a short wait at the entrance, but things moved swiftly. Once again, we found ourselves wishing national parks had a dedicated entrance for pass holders…maybe someday.
Parking
There weren't a lot of people in the park, but there wasn't a lot of parking, either. We were shocked at the lack of spots at the visitor center. Because we are obsessed with getting our national park passport stamps, I ran out while Adam circled the parking lot, hoping to eventually find a spot (this never happened).
Rim Drive Road Scenic Drive
Black Canyon of the Gunnison has a scenic drive along Rim Drive Road, from Tomichi Point near the visitor center to High Point. This scenic drive has twelve overlooks, with paths from parking to the overlooks that allow dogs!
- Rim Drive Road is an out-and-back, with the overlooks on your right as you go out. Because of this, we made our stops on the way out. (Some of the national parks are laid out the opposite way, guiding you to go straight to the end and stop on the way back.)
- You may want to choose your overlooks before you start. Many of the overlooks have similar views, and you may not want to stop at each one. Also, parking is limited, so you may have to wait or skip overlooks.
- At some national parks, you can see a lot of the view from the road. If you want to see the views on this drive, you'll need to pull off at and walk to the overlooks.
Rock Point Overlook
Our first stop on Rim Drive Road was Rock Point Overlook. We parked the car and took the dogs to the path.
- The path to the overlook was only 294 yards, but it did involve some minor scrabbling and stepping up. Normally, it would have been very much in scope for us, but Maya’s sore leg had her moving pretty slowly – she did make it, though, because she’s a trooper.
- This is an out-and-back path, so keep in mind that anywhere you stepped up on the way out will require a step down on the way back, and vice versa.
- For most of the way, there is no fence and a very steep drop-off. I'd recommend that you're sure on your feet and have good control of your dog before you go on this walk. I was certainly glad it wasn't a windy day while we were out there.
Yup. those are my loved ones on the edge of a cliff (I'll admit I was a little nervous).
At the end of the path was the overlook, with a small, fenced area. We waited for a family to finish taking some photos with the view and made our way up. I'm not sure if dogs appreciate views the same way people do, but Maya and Piper were certainly interested in looking over the edge!
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park isn't the deepest canyon or the biggest, but one of its claims to fame is how sheer the drop is. This isn’t a gradual slope to the water – there is ground beneath your feet, and then suddenly, there isn’t. From the overlook, we could really experience how dramatically the canyon drops off. Being on the edge of the drop-off was dizzying, but exhilarating.
Piper really wanted to go up, but I was not about to crowd anyone in that tiny overlook area.
Cedar Point Nature Trail
After Rock Point Overlook, we went to the Cedar Point Nature Trail. Like for Rock Point Overlook, we parallel parked and hit the trail.
- The Cedar Point Nature Trail was slightly longer than the path to the Rock Point Overlook, but it was much flatter.
- I enjoyed the signs along the trail identifying the local flora: desert paintbrush, prickly pear cactus, pinon pine, and more. The dogs couldn't read the signs, but still had fun sniffing the new plants.
- In addition to the plant life, we saw quite a bit of evidence of wildlife (the dogs loved that). At one point, Piper heard/saw/smelled something very interesting. Given the number of animals in the park, we decided not to investigate, just in case.
Maya stopped and smelled the flowers.
NOPE!
The end of the Cedar Point Nature Trail also had an overlook, so we got another view into the canyon, including the winding Gunnison River. Once again, the pups seemed genuinely interested in the views.
Given the view, I get why Piper was sticking her head through the railing.
Maya made herself comfortable in the shade while I tried to take some pictures. It wasn't an incredibly hot day, but Adam and I were definitely glad to have sun hoodies. We could tell the dogs were starting to get hot, so we got them back into the car and gave them water.
Maya knows what she's about, which is staying out of the sun and staying hydrated.
Because Maya was slowing down, we didn't make any other stops on the scenic drive. We felt that we were able to get some good views and were happy with what we saw.
East Portal Road Scenic Drive
We got to the end of Rim Drive Road and drove back to the visitor center. Since we had some time, we continued to East Portal Road, another scenic drive.
- East Portal Road doesn't have much in the way of overlooks, but it does have cool views because you get to drive down into the canyon.
- Before you take this road, make sure your vehicle is not too long and that you feel comfortable with low-gear driving. East Portal Road comes with restrictions and warnings because of its steep angle (up to 16% grade).
- I wouldn't recommend this road if your car isn't in good shape or if you are nervous about sharp turns. Luckily for me, I have an extremely capable driver and a Subaru that's designed for just this type of scenario. I was prepared for a treacherous drive, but the road itself was actually in good shape, and was paved.
The road wasn't that treacherous, but I did notice the dogs were holding onto each other for support.
We enjoyed getting a different view of the canyon, and at the bottom, we could access the Gunnison River. I’m shocked to say that despite the frigid temperature of the water, we still saw people fishing and swimming.
People in Colorado are pathologically outdoorsy (they aren't afraid of anything, including freezing cold water).
While most of the warnings for East Portal Road seem to cover going down, you’ll also need to consider the state of your car and your comfort level while driving back up. Once again, my car and driver had no problems, and we quickly found ourselves out of the park and on the way home.
Reflections
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is the least-visited park in Colorado, and I think that’s an absolute shame. Despite not being as…grand…as the Grand Canyon, or not having some of the unique rock formations of Bryce Canyon, there’s still a lot to see.
The views are stunning, and if you're traveling with dogs, you have some good opportunities to walk or hike to the overlooks. If you aren’t traveling with dogs, you’ve got the chance to go into the canyon itself, which is especially cool given the lack of crowds.
