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WHERE TO STAY AND EAT  While there are no lodges or hotels in the park, it does have two campgrounds, one on each rim. Just a mile before the visitor center, oaks and thickets of

serviceberry partially shade the South Rim Campground, the larger of the two, with 88 sites for tents, trailers and RVs, all equipped with tables and fire rings. Bathrooms have toilets, and

23 sites have electrical hookups, but only in summer. You can make advance reservations ($22 per night with electric hookups or $16 without, recreation.gov) from mid-May through

mid-September. The 13 campsites at the North Rim Campground are situated among tall pines and junipers at the canyon’s edge and are a bargain at $16 per night, or $8 with a valid senior or

access pass. The downside? The remote location makes them more difficult to reach, and they’re first come, first served year-round, so you could be disappointed after the long drive if the

campground is already full. Also, given its proximity to the canyon’s steep cliffs, it may not be a good choice if you’re traveling with children. Pit toilets have paved ramps and floors.

Another campground with 15 minimally developed sites, East Portal, is in the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area but is accessed through and managed by the park. Located at river

level and shaded by tall cottonwoods, it has pit toilets and gravel roads. There are no dining options in the park, but there are picnic tables for visitors who want to bring in food. The

park shuts off water from October through May because of cold temperatures in the winter. Visitors can stop at multiple overlooks along the North and South rim for views of the canyons. Tim

Clark / Alamy Stock Photo ​THINGS TO DO ​DRIVE THE SOUTH RIM: This park is all about the stunning canyon views, with overlooks along South Rim Road showing off the plunging vistas and etched

canyon walls from every angle. You’ll pull over in disbelief as the chasm drops off below you at Tomichi Point, the first overlook on South Rim Drive and located right on the road with

accessible parking. See the river glinting silver as it snakes in from the east; it’s particularly dramatic when illuminated by the morning light. From here you’ll continue on to the visitor

center, which delivers one of the most dramatic views from a large deck. From the center, a stone path and series of stairs take you to Gunnison Point, where an octagonal viewing platform

atop a rock outcrop juts far enough over the canyon to provide both west- and east-facing views.  As you continue along the road, each viewpoint offers a new perspective or geological

wonder, such as the expansive river view from the promontory of Pulpit Rock, the craggy depths below Rock Point, and Devil’s Lookout, where you peek over the rim above the canyon’s narrowest

stretch. Be aware that several viewpoints require short hikes (up to a third of a mile) to reach the rim-side overlooks.  An absolute must is Chasm View, angled to offer the best view of

the Painted Wall, named for the mosaic of crystalline veins that zigzag across the dark schist like brushstrokes. The tallest cliff in Colorado, it drops an almost vertical 2,250 feet and is

best seen from a railing-enclosed viewpoint along the cliff’s edge.  A second viewpoint, aptly named Painted Wall, provides another angle on nature’s rock painting. Both are accessible for

people with mobility issues, with parking and paved paths.  DRIVE THE NORTH RIM: North Rim Road features five of the park’s best overlooks, including the Narrows, which is positioned so you

can see into the gorge at its skinniest point. The rim’s 0.3-mile Chasm View Trail packs perhaps the greatest punch of any hike in the park, leading to the North Chasm View overlook 1,800

feet above the river. Fenced and paved, it’s an easy loop with additional overlooks showcasing the Painted Wall. Like the last portion of the drive to the North Rim entrance, North Rim Road

is an unpaved, well-graded dirt road.  GO HIKING: Black Canyon of the Gunnison is rich in short to medium-length hikes of varying difficulty. The easy 2-mile round-trip Rim Rock Nature

Trail follows a relatively flat route. Breathe in the scent of piñon and juniper as the trail passes through stands of trees that open to provide frequent canyon views from which you might

catch a glimpse of peregrine falcons soaring on an updraft. The trail to Warner Point, a 1.5-mile round trip starting at High Point, the terminus of South Rim Road, leads to a dramatic rock

peninsula with hard-to-beat canyon views on three sides. The trail requires some climbing, so it’s considered a moderate hike despite the short length.  Getting down to the river is no easy

feat in Black Canyon due to the cliffs and the depth of the drop, and there are no official access trails. While there is a wilderness route requiring a permit from the visitor center,

rangers discourage anyone but the hardiest and most experienced hikers from attempting the descent. GO STARGAZING: The park’s remoteness means there’s little ambient light to dull the stars,

which burn exceptionally bright in the thin, clear mountain air. This combination earned Black Canyon of the Gunnison certification as an International Dark Sky Park from DarkSky

International, formerly the International Dark-Sky Association, in 2015. Today the park stays open all night so that stargazers can see the spectacle. Stargazing programs are regularly

scheduled during summer; some are listed in the park calendar, but it’s best to check the website before you go and the visitor center once you’re there for updated activities. More

stargazing takes place in Curecanti National Recreation Area, also an International Dark Sky Park. “There’s actually a fair amount of activity all the way through the nighttime, with people

putting up telescopes and cameras,” Rome says. “I tell people to go to Chasm View or one of the other viewpoints where you’re off the road. You’re looking down over this dark canyon with the

huge sky overhead — it’s really something.” She also recommends camping in the park to see the star-packed sky all aglow. The park holds an annual astronomy festival, Astro Fest, over a

three-day weekend in September. Leading scientists introduce you to constellations, galaxies and nebulae, which are captured live through a telescope and projected onto a big screen at a

park amphitheater for easy viewing.