Upper East
|
| Put-in: |
Gothic Bridge |
| Take-out: |
Above Stupid Falls |
| Difficulty: |
Class V- @ 600 cfs
|
| Length: |
0.9 mile |
Tributary - Daisy Creek
|
| Put-in: |
Base of 40 footer |
| Take-out: |
The Slate of Pittsburg or Oh Be Joyful C.G. |
| Difficulty: |
Class V-
|
| Length: |
0.9 mile |
Tributary - Slate River
|
| Put-in: |
Flat Marshy Area |
| Take-out: |
Oh Be Joyful C.G. |
| Difficulty: |
Class V- @ 400 cfs
|
| Length: |
2 miles |
Oh-Be-Joyful
|
| Put-in: |
1 mile up from the Slate |
| Take-out: |
before slate confluence |
| Difficulty: |
Class V
|
| Length: |
1 mile |
Gunny Town Run
|
| Put-in: |
North Bridge |
| Take-out: |
McCabes Lane |
| Difficulty: |
Class II, III
|
| Length: |
8.6 miles |
Tributary - Cebolla Creek
|
| Put-in: |
Hwy 149 @ Cebolla Creek |
| Take-out: |
Blue Mesa Res. across from Cebolla Creek |
| Difficulty: |
Class III
|
| Length: |
14.5 miles |
Tributary - Henson Creek
|
| Put-in: |
Above Nellie Creek |
| Take-out: |
0.5 mile up 20 RD from Lake City |
| Difficulty: |
Class V-
|
| Length: |
6.7 miles |
Gunnison Gorge
 
|
| Put-in: |
Chukar Trail |
| Take-out: |
North Fork of the Gunnison |
| Difficulty: |
Class III+
|
| Length: |
13.4 miles |
Black Canyon
|
| Put-in: |
East Portal |
| Take-out: |
Gunnison Forks |
| Difficulty: |
Class V
|
| Length: |
27.7 miles |
North Fork Gunnison
|
| Put-in: |
Below Paonia Reservoir |
| Take-out: |
Below Somerset |
| Difficulty: |
Class III < 2,000 cfs, IV- > 2,000 cfs
|
| Length: |
8.8 miles |
Uncompahgre
|
| Put-in: |
Bridge just below Ouray |
| Take-out: |
Bridge to KOA |
| Difficulty: |
Class V < 900 cfs, V+ > 900 cfs
|
| Length: |
2.2 miles |
Dominguez Canyon
|
| Put-in: |
Delta |
| Take-out: |
Escalante Bridge |
| Difficulty: |
Class II-
|
| Length: |
17 miles; |
|
The Gunnison River starts west of Grand Junction near the Continental Divide above Crested Butte Ski Area and flows through the town of Gunnison and on through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This trip features great fishing, hiking and swimming in the warmer months.
The river meanders through a National Conservation Area and has been awarded “Gold Medal” status quality for providing an important habit for trout. This fourteen-mile Gunnison Gorge stretch has also been nominated for the “Wild and Scenic River” designation.
The scenery is reminiscent of the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado River and is characterized by clear green water, towering black granite cliffs and foaming rapids and glassy pools. There are a limited number of permits to run this river for commercial companies, which assures a true wilderness experience. Private boaters don't need a permit, but need to pay a user fee.
The Black Canyon run is known as one of the better whitewater runs in Colorado, but remains uncrowded due to some distruptions: one is a strenuous portage mid-trip and the other is thick poison ivy and ticks that boaters encounter during this portage! This run is nearly 28 miles and can be done in one day if you are a fast boater with good endurance, but ideally you should stretch it into two days to enjoy this beautiful canyon.
Gunnison Gorge or “Gunny” as the locals say, begins after Black Canyon and is a voyage through a semi-remote beautiful canyon with a few pool and drop Class IIIs. Surfing and playboating is said to be quite good at highwater.
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