Gunnison River Colorado
The Black Canyon & The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area

Gunnison River -No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

The Gunnison River rises in west central Colorado, in eastern Gunnison County, formed by the confluence of Taylor and East rivers. Just past the town of Gunnison, the river begins to swell into the expanse of Blue Mesa Reservoir, a 40 mile long reservoir formed by Blue Mesa Dam, where it receives the Lake Fork of the Gunnison. Just downstream it is dammed again to form Morrow Point Reservoir, then just downstream of that dammed for the final time to form Crystal Reservoir. The reservoirs produce hydroelectric power and supply water for the surrounding ares for both municipal and irrigation use. The reservoirs are the upper part of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of the longest, narrowest, and deepest gorges in the world. Below Crystal Dam it begins to roar through massive cataracts and flows through the deepest part of the Black Canyon National Park.

Below the Black Canyon National Park the river enters the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area is where our Black Canyon expedition begins. Located about seven miles northeast of Montrose in west central Colorado, just downstream from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park It encompasses approximately 57,725 acres of public lands in Montrose and Delta counties.

Downstream near Delta the Gunnison River is joined by the Uncompahgre River. It then winds through desert canyonlands until it empties into the Colorado near Grand Junction, carrying almost as much water as the former.