Gunnison River

The roaring Gunnison travels 180-miles and provides for much excitement, both from up high and in its waters.

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Gunnison River Details

The Gunnison River is a 180-mile long tributary off the Colorado River originating at the confluence of two rivers in Almont, Colorado. The river is home to a series of reservoirs and dams that produce power and irrigation water for the surrounding region. The river is the central point of Black Canyon of the Gunnison, as it rushes through the deep canyon (one of the deepest in the world). The Gunnison reaches up to 50 feet deep at times and stretches between 100 and 1,000 feet wide. The river offers plenty of recreational activities, from fishing and paddling to swimming down in the reservoirs south of the park. The Class V rapids that run through Black Canyon make it an extremely difficult paddle and is only recommended for the most experiences kayakers. The river was named for John W. Gunnison, a topographic engineer and U.S. Army Captain in the 1850s who was killed while mapping the Utah Territory. Prior to the name change by the U.S. government, the river was known as Tomichi by Native Americans and the Rio de San Javier by the Spanish (named by Juan Maria de Rivera who "discovered" the river in the 1760s).

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Open

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