The Other Side: A Climber's Race on the East Rim of the Black Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is so deep and vast that it has two separate park entrances: one for the popular West Rim and another for the quieter, less-visited East Rim. Having seen the West Rim before, my goal for this trip was to explore the East side and watch the morning sun light up its immense walls. What I didn't plan on was the incredible bonus adventure of happening upon two climbers, Sam and Lane, as they spent hours rope climbing their way up from the dark, dizzying depths. This is the story of that day—a fun race against the sun, a comparison of the two rims, and a front-row seat to an amazing feat of human endurance.

The Golden Nugget 🌟

Don't Miss This: The East Rim offers a more rugged and less crowded experience than the main West Rim drive. The short hikes to viewpoints like Exclamation Point feel more wild and provide a different, equally stunning perspective of the canyon's incredible depth and narrowness.

TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO THE CANYON'S EDGE

Grab your VR headset and join me for an ultimate "Where's Waldo" challenge as we follow Sam and Lane on their epic climb up the enormous, steep cliffs of the Black Canyon. Feel your breath catch as you dangle immersively over the incredible depths. It's a fun, thrilling VR Getaway you won't want to miss!

"This fun race with the sun will get you cheering for these amazing men, and holding your breath as you dangle over the enormous depths of the deep Black Canyon."

Adventure at a Glance

🏞️ Park: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
🚶‍♀️ Activity: Sightseeing, Easy Hiking, Watching Climbers
⭐ Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds)
☀️ Best For: Dramatic canyon views, geology, solitude (on the East Rim).
⏳ Recommended Time: A full day to explore one rim, or two days to see both.
🧭 Can't-Miss Sights: Painted Wall (West Rim), Exclamation Point (East Rim), any view into the staggering depths.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

My Black Canyon Story: East vs. West

My first trip to the Black Canyon was to the more popular West side, which is a delightful series of short, easy walks to incredible lookouts. This time, I was determined to see the sunrise from the East side. The East Rim is much less crowded and has a different feel. It offers a couple of longer (but still easy) hikes out to stunning points like North Point and Exclamation Point. It was on one of these hikes that I spotted them: two tiny figures scaling the immense cliff face below. I spent the next few hours completely captivated, filming Sam and Lane as they raced the setting sun to make it out of the canyon. It was an unexpected and thrilling addition to an already beautiful day.

Link to fun 2D Video at Black Canyon

Your Trail Guide: Helpful Hints

♦️ Two Parks, One Canyon: Remember the East and West Rims are separate park entrances with no road connecting them. It's a long drive from one to the other, so plan on visiting them on different days.
♦️ West Rim: The more developed and popular side. It consists of many pull-offs with very short trails to fenced overlooks. It's great for getting many different views quickly.
♦️ East Rim: Quieter and more rugged. It has fewer pull-offs but offers slightly longer trails out to unfenced points, which can feel more adventurous.
♦️ Safety First: Many overlooks, especially on the East Rim, do not have guard rails. This is not a place to let young children run free. The drop-offs are sheer and thousands of feet deep.

VR Video Treasure Hunt!

🔎 Spot the Climbers: See if you can spot Sam and Lane as tiny specks on the massive cliff face early in the video.
🔎 The Painted Veins: Look for the beautiful, light-colored veins of pegmatite running through the dark gneiss rock of the canyon walls.
🔎 A Race Against the Sun: Notice how the light and shadows change dramatically in the canyon as the day goes on.
🔎 Exclamation Point View: Find the shot from the very tip of Exclamation Point, looking straight down into the dizzying depths.

Information on the Black Canyon

It is 5.5 hours Southeast of SLC.
This is not one long hike, but lots of mini trails, which is so fun. Hike a little while, see something amazing, drive to next spot and repeat. Delightful.
Great family hike, as long as you watch your kids by the edges that are not fenced.
I believe dogs are allowed in this park, for I saw quite a few dogs, and don't remember any signs saying otherwise.
There is a nice picnic area at the end of the road that has picnic tables and areas to enjoy a lunch and get a bathroom break.
This end spot does not have the spectacular views that are available at all the mini trails along the road for it is not as steep and deep. Some drive right to the end, and miss out on the best parts. There is also a trail here that is longer that goes down into the canyon, but remember this is not the prettiest spot in black Canyon.

Fall at Black Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a narrow canyon with steep cliffs on both sides that are a deep blackish color with neat veins that run through the rock making interesting shapes. There are a few people each year that hike down to the base of Black Canyon, but most take a guide if they decide to go for the smallest mess up and you will likely fall an awful fall. This area though is such a nice area though with lots of little pull offs with short hikes to see various lookouts in over the canyon.

Very cool Black Fin in Black Canyon

Video of another awesome pull off view point at Black Canyon

Link to another fun 2D Video at Black Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Fall

Black Canyon is an extremely deep dark canyon that is so deep and so narrow that many places down at the bottom never see sunlight. It is so easy to let anxiety build until you soon find yourself sliding into a similar dark abyss in your mind that is equally terrifying and scary. At times like this, I beg you to look up. The sky's still blue and The Light above LOVES you more than you can comprehend, look up, He wants to help

This VR Adventure has lots of cliff edges where you can look down into this deep Black Canyon so hang on for a fun ride with some crazy heights.

Conclusion

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a place of staggering scale and humbling beauty. It’s so deep and narrow that the bottom can feel like a world of permanent shadow. Exploring both rims gave me a complete appreciation for its grandeur, and the unexpected gift of watching Sam and Lane's ascent was a powerful reminder of the human spirit of adventure. Whether you're a casual sightseer or a hardcore climber, this canyon will leave you in awe. I hope this immersive journey gives you a sense of its incredible, heart-pounding scale.

Sending Love and Positive Vibes,

Shauna from VRGetaways