Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado 2019

I found Black Canyon to be fascinating.  We had traveled through Zion's and Bryce, but this canyon has a whole different set of rocks, gneiss and schist.  Then you add granite type rocks, pegmatite and quartz monzonite.  These rocks are harder and erode more slowly.  However they also add strength to the surrounding rock which creates  the spires, and what looks like painting on the walls.  The lighter color is pegmatite.



We did something most visitors don't do and that is drive down to the river.  This is at the southern end of the park, and actually crosses over into the Curecanti National recreation Area.  There is a small dam there that slows up the water before entering the National Park.  We had a chance to throw in a few rocks.