Gunnison Gorge
Colorado – US
- Class
- III to IV-
- Length
- 14 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 50 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 6,643 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 5,965 Feet
- Typical season
- March to October
Current Flow
467 CFS
Gauge height: 2.36 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:15 PM
▲ 0.33/hr (12h) ▲ 0.17/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- GUNNISON RIVER BELOW GUNNISON TUNNEL, CO Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 600 |
| Average | 1,100 |
| Maximum | 2,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
Description
The Black Canyon or (Gunny Gorge) is an impressive scar in the land in Western Colorado. The Gunnison River has slowly dug this ditch to around 2000 Feet deep. The Black Canyon (above Chukar Trail) section is committing and makes for a wild adventure for the expert kayaker. Portages are tough and most drops have must make moves to avoid sweepers and other nasty features. For those that make this trip though it is a trip of a lifetime for most. The Gunny Gorge section (below Chukar Trail) is a classic class III overnight trip, with one of the most difficult sections simply being accessing the river at the bottom of the steep Chukar Trail.
Since this section is dam controlled you can find flows year round. Lower flows will make it more bony and harder and high flows will make it really pushy and sketchy.
The section below the National Park boundary (Gunny Gorge) is not as committing as in the park (Black Canyon). Mainly a class III run but still committing due to the remote nature. The listed rapids are all in the Gunny Gorge section.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chukar Rapid | III | 600–2,000 | Single drop at the put-in. Most run center at higher water and right slot at lower flows. |
Scout from the Chukar trail if you want. |
| 2 | One Miler | III | 600–2,000 | Run left of the large center hole or rock depending on flows. |
|
| 3 | Improvise Rapid | III | 600–2,000 | Recognized by a small vertical cliff on right and a prominent rock slide on left. |
Scout left. |
| 4 | Upper Pucker Rapid | II+ to III+ | 600–2,000 | Narrow slots at low flows. Large holes at high flows (>2000 ft). |
|
| 5 | Lower Pucker Rapid | II+ to III+ | 600–2,000 | Narrow slots at low flows. Large holes at high flows (>2000 ft). |
|
| 6 | Buttermilk Rapid | III to III+ | 600–2,000 | Run at mile 4 straight down the tongue and watch out for the cliff |
|
| 7 | Red Canyon Rapid | III to IV- | 600–2,000 | The canyon narrows again at a rocky rapid requiring technical boating skills. |
Scout right. |
| 8 | Boulder Garden Rapid | III to IV | 600–2,000 | This used to be a Class IV rapid. Flooding in August 2010 altered the hydraulics, making it less difficult. |
Recommend scouting (left), as it is unknown what effects high flows may have on the rapid. |
| 9 | Paddle Keeper Rapid | III to III+ | 600–2,000 | Best run on left with ferry back to the right. |
Scout left. |
| 10 | T-Dyke Rapid | II+ to III | 600–2,000 | A straight run through with nice waves. The last designated boater camp is located on the right above the rapid. |
|
| 11 | S-Turn | III to III+ | 600–2,000 | Pushes boats toward the cliff wall on left. |
|
| 12 | The Squeeze Rapids | III to IV- | 600–2,000 | Immediately below S-Turn. A deceptive, rocky rapid that has wrapped rafts and pinned kayaks. Most common run is through the narrow slots river right. |
|
| 13 | The Three Drops Rapid | V- to V+ | 600–2,000 | Contains many large holes and narrow slots. |
Scout all from right. |
| 14 | Cable Rapid | III to IV | 600–2,000 | Very technical with large holes and two narrow slots. Most run right slot avoiding cliff on left. |
Scout right. |
| 15 | Jumpin’ Jack Splash | III to III+ | 600–2,000 | Run left of large boulder and finish right avoiding large hole on left. Watch out for the lateral wave! |
|
| 16 | Gate Keeper | III to III+ | 600–2,000 | Requires navigating a narrow slot either center at higher flows or left against the cliff at flows below 600 cfs. |
|
| 17 | Grand Finale | II+ to III | 600–2,000 | The last named rapid; stay right and avoid rocks on left. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | East Portal Entrance | 6,643 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Take Highway 50 east out of Montrose CO then turn north onto Highway 347 and follow the signs to the park entrance. Once inside the park follow the east portal road down from the rim to the river. Put in down here. Make sure you obtain a permit from the rangers as well as pay the fee when entering the park. |
| Take-Out | Chukar Trailhead | 5,965 Feet | No | No | No | 4WD Only | Take Falcon Road east from Highway 50 just south of Olathe. You will need a 4WD high clearnce vehicle to get here. This access point also requires you to haul your boat and gear out of the canyon and up the Chukar trail. Otherwise you need to continue to float down to the north fork confluence. |
| Take-Out | Gunnison Forks Recreation SIte | 5,104 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Where the North Fork meets the Gunnison are 2 access points. The main BLM one and a private business (Pleasure Park - fee required). |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Eddy Camp | No | No | River right |
| Big Eddy Camp | No | No | River right |
| Otter 1 camp | No | No | River right |
| Otter 2 Camp | No | No | River right |
| Bobcat Beach Camp | No | No | River right. |
| Middle Camp | No | No | River Left |
| Buttermilk Rapid | No | No | River right just above the rapid |
| Cowboy Camp | No | No | River right |
| Ute Bluff Camp | No | No | River left (below the packer/hiker Ute camp) |
| Ute #2 Camp | No | No | River left |
| Caddis Camp | No | No | River left |
| T-Dyke Camp | No | No | River right |
| Last Camp | No | No | RIver right |
| Black Forrest | No | No | River right |
| Lone Tree Camp | No | No | River left |
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
The following fish species are often found on this run.
Brown Trout have a yellowish belly, with black and red spots on the sides. This fish is a fresh, coldwater fish and is found all over.
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America.
Points of Interest
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