Accessibility

 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is continuously working to improve accessibility for all people. South Rim is the most accessible area of the park. North Rim and East Portal are more remote and have limited accessible facilities.

Physical/Mobility Accessibility

Black Canyon has several areas that are accessible for people with physical or mobility disabilities.

South Rim

Campground

• Sites A21 and B1 are wheelchair accessible with level concrete campsite pads and ramps. Nearby vault toilets are accessible.
• Paths to the toilets and campsite pay station are paved.

Visitor Center

• Entrance: No doors have a push button entrance. The porch is accessible around the building.
• Parking: Accessible parking is available. The parking lot and sidewalks are paved.
• Restrooms: All vault toilets are wheelchair accessible. There is no plumbed water or flush toilets at the south rim.
• Seating: Benches are located along the outside of the visitor center.

Overlooks
These overlooks are accessible for people using a wheelchair.

• Tomichi Point Overlook (paved with platform adjacent to the parking lot)
• Chasm View Overlook (packed gravel trail to the overlook)

Restrooms
These restrooms along the South Rim Drive are accessible for people using a wheelchair.

• High Point
• Sunset View
• Chasm View
• Tomichi Point

Trails

• Trails on the South Rim have rocky, uneven surfaces, and some drop-offs. All routes are very steep, rocky, and require navigating loose scree and short vertical drops.

North Rim

Campground

• The campground road is gravel, and all sites are unpaved and unimproved.
• Access to the vault toilet is on a compacted dirt path.

Ranger Station

• Entrance: The front door does not have a push button opener. The approach to the ranger station is loose gravel and has steps; there is no ramp.
• Parking: The parking area is unpaved.
• Restrooms: Vault toilet interior is accessible. Exterior is not accessible due to an incline and small concrete lip in front. No plumbed water.

Trails

• Trails on the North Rim have rocky, uneven surfaces. All routes are very steep, rocky, and require navigating loose scree and short vertical drops.

East Portal

Campground

• The campground road and parking areas are gravel.
• All campsites are unimproved, and some require walking down steps from the parking area to access. Campground vault toilet access is on compacted dirt paths. No plumbed water.

Facilities

• Parking: The parking areas are gravel.
• Restrooms: There is an accessible vault toilet.

Trails

• River access and unmaintained trails along the Gunnison River have rocky, uneven surfaces.

 

Deaf/Hearing Loss Accessibility

• Wayside exhibits with illustrations and text are situated throughout the park at overlooks and trailheads. 
• Videos on the park website have closed captioning.
• Visitors who are Deaf or have hearing loss may request an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for in-person ranger programs. We recommend you submit a request at least 14 days or more in advance to improve your chances of securing these services.

Blind/Low Vision Accessibility

• South Rim Visitor Center has rock samples and a 3D tactile map.
• Visit the Park Brochure page for complete information about how you can access Braille and text-only versions of official park brochure.

 

Service Animals

Service animals are allowed at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. NPS policy defines a service animal as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The tasks performed by the animal must be directly related to the person’s disability.

Emotional support, therapy, and companion animals are not service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they have not been trained to provide a task directly related to a disability. Emotional support animals are considered to be a pet and can only go where permits are allowed.

Please visit the National Park Service's webpage for detailed information on bringing service animals to NPS sites.

 

Access Pass

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are permanently disabled may be eligible for the Interagency Access Pass. This free, lifetime admission pass provides admittance to thousands of recreation sites managed by National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation.

• Passes must be obtained with valid identification
• Does not cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners

Learn more about all types of America the Beautiful passes under Fees & Passes.